How is it that you "view" God? I know we can't physically SEE Him, but how do you "see" Him in your mind?
A couple weeks ago during a Wednesday night Bible study, Pastor Steve asked us that same question. He said we would probably view God the same way we view our earthly fathers in that if our earthly fathers were the "military type", then we might view God as more of the "walk the line or you're gonna get it" God. And I will have to say, I agree with Pastor Steve. But the thing that changes our perception of God is how well we truly know Him and how we experience Him.
But there was a scripture I read this morning that pretty much summed up how I see God now and it is this...
Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?...Romans 2:4.
For a long time, I saw God as someone who sits upon a throne waiting for me to mess up so He could shake His finger at me and tell me where I was messing up my life. But now that I have studied His characteristics and qualities more than ever, I see Him as a loving being that is sitting back with His legs crossed, slowly swinging His glorious foot waiting on me to come chat with Him (I know that is crazy but it's like He's so patient and kind and ready to talk) when I mess up.
Let me share a story with you that God constantly reminds me of how He patiently corrects us:
A couple years ago, my phone rang in my office and on the other end I hear my youngest child in tears. "Momma, I deleted my Instagram app on my iPod," she said. With a puzzled sound in my voice, I asked why? "Because I was looking at pictures I didn't need to be looking at," she said. Now my normal fleshly reaction would be to grill her and ask her why she did it and exactly what kind of pictures she observed but that's when God took over. Instead, I said, "Hanna, you didn't have to delete the app, you just have to resist the urge to look at them. Satan tempts us all the time with stuff and we have to resist them." "Really?", Hanna replied. "Yes baby. I have looked at pictures before that I didn't need to look at and so have many other people. The good thing is you recognized it wasn't right and you did something about it. You just need to ask God to forgive you and ask Him to help you try your hardest not to do it again." By this time, her tears had dried up and we talked about how God wasn't mad at her or hadn't left her but He wanted her to recognize the wrong and turn from it and He would forgive her.
As I placed the phone in the cradle, I sat and pondered what had just taken place and began "talking" to God about it and it went something like this:
Me: Wow God, You handled that great.
God: Dana, you need to treat her mess-ups like I treat your mess-ups.
Me: What do you mean God?
God: I don't holler and scream and tell you, yes, you have done wrong and point out all the messes you've made. I give you time to realize where you messed up and patiently wait on you to come back to me.
Me: I've never though about it like that God.
God: Well, maybe it's time you think start thinking about it more...I'm kind, tolerant, and patient with you and give you time to realize you've done wrong. I don't "call you out" or embarrass you.....
And you know what...He doesn't. Instead of making Hanna feel worse than she already did, I talked her through it just like God does me. And that lesson from God has stuck with me from that day forward when it comes not only to my children, but to everyone I come in contact with.
Until next time........
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