Your image of God

January 15, 2008

Years ago, when my son who turns 28 at the end of this month, was a a freshman in high school, I had to go pick him up sick at the school. As I left, I forgot I was in a school zone and picked up my speed a little bit and as I did, the friendly blue light of the police man reminded me just where I was. He went through the usually bit, checked my DriversLicence against the known criminals list and then came back to my car. We talked a bit, he appreciated that I was a father taking care of his son and reminded me to teach him how to drive properly by example. He said I would write you a ticket, but I will give you a warning.

He had one set of rules that he should have followed, the city that we lived in, but he chose to follow a different set of rules. God is like that you know. He has one set of rules that He judges us by, but He could judge us by many sets of rules, as many as there are people.

Job 42:8 VW
(8) Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job will pray for you; for I accept him; lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.

I am sure that Job's friends were glad that God chose His way rather than their way of judging things. They had been vindictive, telling Job just how wrong he was and he had to confess his sin to God. But Job had not sinned like they said he had. They painted a really bleak picture of God, one that Job could have accepted and been indespair.

My councilor and friend had me read a book several years ago called the Father Heart of God. The author tries to tell us to picture God as a loving father. He then tells us that it sometimes can be a hard thing for many to do. I am one of them. I had a hard time getting my mind on straight (and still do somewhat to this very day) on this, because I had a less than ideal example of a father, one who hit first and ask questions later, who got drunk a lot. We do these things as well. We paint an image of God that may not be right just like Job's friends did.

It is time to read the Word and see what it says God is like.

Read though the Bible in Historical order in one year:
Today
Job 40:1-42:17
Tomorrow
Genesis 12:1-15:21