by Rev. Tyger Penson
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that God gave God’s only son, that whoever believes in God will have eternal life.
When someone asks, who is God, it becomes a difficult task to answer. All I can come up with are metaphors or examples from the Bible or my own experiences of God in my life. It is much like trying to take a photo of the wind or attempting to describe electricity. But no one seems to question the fact that there is electricity or wind or a multitude of other difficult to explain phenomena that we daily encounter.
So what about God? How do we explain God? The early Christian church developed a concept of Trinity. They said that God is the Creator, Jesus is the Savior, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. As a pastor I tried to help folks understand this “trinity” by saying there is only one God but God wears different hats, or God takes on different roles, or God, though one, demonstrates God’s oneness in three different ways. It certainly can be confusing and I’m not sure I was very good at it.
There is but one God! That we agree upon with our Muslim and Jewish friends. We Christians just see the multitude of ways that God comes to each of us so that we will trust God with our lives. In that effort, we have struggled to describe this mystery of God in words and images. From this came the concept of the Trinity: God as Father, God as Son, God as Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, that picture has brought confusion for some who think we have three separate gods. We don’t.
But this I can attest. There is one God who loves the world so much, God came to earth in the form of a human being, Jesus, so that God could show people what it means to live as God would have them live and to assist God in bringing in God’s Kingdom on earth, a kingdom of justice, peace, hope, and wholeness. God dwells within us as God’s Spirit that we might be guided in the ways we should go. This Creator God also displays his awesomeness in the wonders of the mountains, plains, deserts, oceans and lakes, rivers and rain, sun and growth, birds and animals of every description. And from this creation, which includes you and me, God provides for our food, shelter, and all that makes life possible. God is the author of our laughter and our joy, our music and dance, our ability to create and build, and the passion to cry with God when our world is going haywire.
As you consider the mystery of God, keep on wondering, asking questions, and seeking answers. And when all else fails, trust that God is for real.
Prayer: Awesome, loving, and powerful God, I come with many doubts and questions. Yet, here I am, in your presence, willing to believe. Help my unbelief. Amen
Song: Lord of All Hopefulness by Jan Struther