A Life in Exile

One of the beautiful wonders of Scripture lies in this: No one could have made it up. God spoke through so many writers over hundreds of years to bring to us His Story of creation, love, and redemption. Yet, with the wonder of this great book, we still encourage children to imagine what God would be like.

A. W. Tozer wrote,

“Do not try to imagine God or you will have an imaginary God…Brood on the Scripture and let faith show you God as He is revealed there.”

Jan Winebrenner, Intimate Faith

Oh, how we go wrong in such a simple exercise. As Tozer says there is no reason for our imaginations to get involved—God’s Word carries description enough to explain his character and purpose.

Imagination says, “I want God to be like this. His Word is not enough for me or doesn’t meet my desires.”

How quickly we learn, once we get into the depths of his Word, that God is SO much more than we can think or imagine! Our thoughts will always limit God. The reality proves much greater. Remember, we are made in his image, not him in ours.

Listen to how he reveals himself through the prophet Moses:

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.

Deuteronomy 10:17-18 NIV

We need a God who, while so beyond our ability to grasp or understand, allows us to know him in an intimate and personal way through his Word, his Son, and his Spirit.

Thank the God of the Universe, who reveals himself as Father, for the blessing of being known by him and grace to know him through Christ. This is the God needed by all. No imagination required.

Grace and Peace