Thinking about God

This week I was challenged to write a paper about God.

The question I had to answer was:

Who is God and what is it like?

I was asked to do this in less than 500 words and to provide an image that would help explain this..

Have you ever been asked that question? Who is God – and what is it like?

It’s a question not to take lightly. A question that needs lots of careful thought.

By answering it we are revealing what we believe, what we understand and potentially what we don’t understand and don’t know.. which is ok..

Here is what I came up with and it is in the form of a poem:

Who is God and what is it like?

A question to ponder.

Carefully

This is about my own perception

at this time

which will change

as I learn (and think and experience) more

A question so hard to answer.

God is so indefinable.

Can’t be neatly packaged in a box.

God is…

not like me

God is…

completely       other

Indescribable.

Intangible.

Way beyond anything

I could imagine or even try to define

Yet

God is …

like me

Or, should I say..

I am like God.  (yes, that’s better..)

.. made in the image of God.

There is something about me

that helps me understand what God is like

There is something about you too

that helps me understand what God is like

We have the capacity and the desire

to love

and create

and be in community

Yet we are each unique

and beautiful

in our own way

There is something about creation

that helps me understand what God is like

Beautiful

Ever changing

Gentle

Awesome

I can only describe God in synonyms…

God is like…

The wind:

Gentle and powerful

Soothing and damaging

A colour:

Can’t quite grasp it

just beyond reach

yet so very close

and real

God is …

beyond time and space - human understandings

Creator of all

Sustainer of all

Yet before all

Uncreated

A creator who is

Self emptying

Sacrificial

Always making space for others

A creator who chose to give up part of their own self 

to create

to make space for

the universe

our world

us

me

A creator who chose to create humans in God’s image

and gave us power

and freedom

the ability to create

and make choices

A creator who chose to give up part of God’s own self

by sending the Son to become human

like us

to live

and love

and suffer

and die

and then..

the wonder.. the joy

to live again

Just because..

Love

Grace

God is..

3 in 1

1 in 3

each distinct yet each the same

Father

Spirit

Son

Community

Love

Dance

Relational

Revealing

Creating

Grieving

Celebrating

Giving

A presence

Always present.

Who is God and what is God like?

The image I keep returning to when I think of God

is of a water jug

tipped over

with fresh water

flowing from it

constantly emptying

constantly refilling

Who is God and what is God like?

What would you say?

This is an excerpt from a sermon preached at Athelstone Uniting Church on Sunday March 11th 2018