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
