God is Who He is…

Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any. (Isaiah 44:8)

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:11)

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

If I deny or forget that God rules over all, then in my mind He is no longer personal and does not answer when I call. If that were so, then the cares of this life would eventually become unbearable and hope would vanish. If God is only the Creator (or worse, merely the spirit of creation), then no one can answer when I confess my sin and ask for forgiveness.

Sometimes I’ve felt alone and wanted a God that I could see. Today’s devotional writer, George H. Morrison, says that “things” cannot enter my heart, only personality and the influence of a living spirit. He says God is nearest when He is seated on the throne in heaven, not when He seems to walk by my side. If my God was only a companion for my hurts and loneliness, then I would be robbed of the God for whom I crave.

At first read, that didn’t make sense, but the devotional adds if God was just here as my personal genie in a bottle and nowhere else, I would lose the personality of who He is, a sovereign and transcendent God. It is by His fullness that I can be strengthened to meet life’s challenges and endure life’s pain. If He is only with me to do whatever I want or think I need, then I lose the sense of His wisdom and power.

If God is not fully God (in my mind), then there is no accountability either. I would stop growing and shedding sin if all God did was hold my hand and affirm that He loves me no matter what. While that is true, God also rebukes and trains, disciplines and stretches His children. He has a much higher vision for my life than merely filling all the empty places and ensuring I am totally comfortable and happy all the time.

God is my Rock to stand on, my solid place. If I selfishly tell Him how to run my life, then my concept of God is weakened. He remains the same, but the meaning of His mercy, grace, and salvation becomes a mere shadow. As always, I must let God be God. I cannot invent Him, or change what He is like just to suit my days, nor can I ignore all that He is because I only need part of Him right now. While He promises to supply all my needs, He knows better than I what those needs are. While He promises to never withhold good from me as I walk with Him, He knows better than I what is good for me. Again, I must let God be God.