Indescribable, undeniable, and unspeakable are the words that come to mind when I think of the majestic nature of our God. What words come to mind when you think of our God--the God that created heaven and earth in perfect symmetry and harmony? This is the same God that shaped our form, like malleable clay in the palm of his hands. He is an artist, a poet, a judge, a king, our Father, our Savior, the Holiest of holies. When I meditate upon His greatness, I feel a piercing joy of electricity through my veins, a shock wave of emotion that ebbs and flows upon the shores of my heart. Then a hush, a calming peace, sweeps over me and it is here where I find myself in my Father's hands. I feel once again like a child who clings to her father's burly arms and feels safe in the comfort of them. I breathe in the sweet-smelling aroma of grace. I know that as much as I might have shamed and grieved Him through the years of maturation, He has looked upon me with unfailing love. I am His portion and He is mine. He keeps me as the apple of His eye and hides me under the shadow of His wings (para Psalm 17:8).
When I read through the book of Psalms, I realize how great David's understanding of God was. Throughout the Old Testament, you can sense a great fear looming over the hearts of the Jews, a fear that results from disobedience and neglect of the statutes and commandments set place under the Mosaic law. But, as for David, he knew the Lord, not only as he was instructed, to fear and revere Him, but he also deeply loved and honored Him. The words he sung from his lips, which we know read through ink pen and paper, were filled with passion. If you didn't know any better, you would think he was wooing the heart of a love interest. But, how beautiful it is that far greater than this, he was wooing the heart of His God. In Psalm 63:1 he states, "O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water."
The book of Psalms in the Old Testament is to me like a tall glass of cold lemonade on a hot summer's day. It is refreshing to read about a man who truly seeks and knows God's heart in a climate of legalism. In Psalm 86:15 he states, "But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth." This compels me to think about how I view my God. Yes, we all know God is good and worthy of our praise because we are told this through scripture. However, how much do we believe this? I pose this question in hopes to stir us up into action, particularly those of us who have adopted a legalistic belief system. I don't want to go through life as if going through the motions, accepting God for who He is based upon what I am told to think of Him. I want to engage with Him in a deep and meaningful relationship, just as I would with a significant other. I don't want to just place Him upon a shelf and refer to Him when I need Him. I want Him to walk with me hand-in-hand in my coming and going.
Sometimes what helps us through this process is when we reflect upon who God is to us. I previously referred to God as "my God". I do this to connote and stress the importance of personalizing our relationship with Him. He is not some being that floats upon the earth, judging us and ruling earthly domains from the high heavens. He is very much a part of our daily existence and desires that we adopt Him into our daily living. I refer to God as my Heavenly Father and sometimes imagine being that little girl residing in the confines of His secure arms. But, He is not only my Father, He is also my King, which makes me royalty in His eyes.
Sometimes, we negate who we are in God's eyes. If we would start viewing ourselves the way that God sees us, we might believe that we are worthy of love and affection. We might consider ourselves worthy of standing in the shower of God's blessings, not in a prideful way, but in a confident way. But, this all begins with knowing who God is to us and on the same token, who we are to Him; which in turn makes us secure in our relationship with Christ, no longer second-guessing ourselves, waiting for the door to slam on us or our hearts to be broken as due punishment for any wrongs committed in our lives. We no longer walk with a looming cloud of death. Christ died so that we would be given life--eternal life. Do not take for granted this gift. In so doing, let us seek God's face. When He reveals Himself, etch Him in your heart and in your mind. Safeguard it. Meditate on it. Just as David meditated on God's law daily, he also meditated on His goodness. If that wasn't enough, he depicted God through lyric and painted His image in his own understanding. How much more can we, who are now enlightened and are given the gift of renewed vision, see and know who God is to us?
I don't know about you, but it is not enough for me to read God's word without meditating on it. It is not enough for me to pray without being still, awaiting His response. It is not enough for me to view illustrations, created at the hands of fellow man, depicting Jesus with piercing blue eyes, and wooly brown hair and allow my mind to manufacture replicas of this. I want to read God's word and know that it breathes. I want to pray, expecting a response. I want to paint God's image in my mind the way that I see Him, running my fingertips through the seams of His design. I want to press my palm in His and know that it is here that I am safe. "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand" (Psalm 84:10).
I encourage you, readers, that we can not fully know our identity until we have discovered our identity through Christ. That begins with our understanding of Him followed by our understanding of who we are in His eyes. Wherever you are in this journey of life, you are never too far away to receive Him. God doesn't measure distance. He only measures our hearts. The more we seek Him, the more He reveals Himself to us, letting us in on the marvelous and indescribable truths of His majestic existence.
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