Isaiah 45.5 I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God.
For the past few months, we have looked down from heaven looking at the redemption of mankind the perfect plan of God to restore us and the world that we live in. Today we look up and turn our focus onto the Creator of all that exists. The One Who was before all things and took from nothing and made something. To try and fully describe God is beyond our human ability for anything that we know of Him is that which He has chosen to reveal to us. We are not able to prove that God exists, but we testify to that truth, and by faith, we know that He does exist. We cannot describe what He looks like because we don’t fully know, we know partially but even that is blurred. And yet I had the confidence to say to someone just the other day as they gave me a hard time because of my belief…….."It is too late to tell me its not true, I have seen too much."
We see the evidence of our God, we hear His voice and we know His presence. We all have authors and preachers that touch our heart. AW Tozer is one who resonates with me, and he writes this, "Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son," said our Lord, "and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." The Gospel according to John reveals the helplessness of the human mind before the great Mystery which is God. Paul, in first Corinthians, teaches that God can be known only as the Holy Spirit performs in the seeking heart, an act of self-disclosure. There is a mystery but one that God Himself encourages us not to solve but to search, not that we will ever be able to explain it but in the searching we will find greater knowledge of God and deeper fellowship.
Jeremiah 29:13-14
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD.
In the Old Testament God revealed Himself to different people. He spoke to Abraham and through Abraham’s obedience He revealed Himself through a promised Nation, the Israelites. He demonstrated His authority over every evil spirit when He sent the 10 plagues on Egypt, showing who was in charge and who would see His people set free. He showed His mighty power when He divided the Red Sea so that the Israelites could flee and closed it again on the Egyptian army. He revealed His desire to be with His people as He dwelt with them in the desert, a cloud by day and fire by night. His love and compassion poured out in the supernatural sustenance of manna for food and water from the rock. No man’s shoes wore out and God revealed His compassion and tolerance as He forgave sins and healed diseases. God longed for the Nation of Israel to depend on Him 100% and allow Him to be the Divine Protecter, the One Who could meet every need and in so doing reveal His glory. The majestic, indescribable God, full of love and compassion toward His chosen people.
It is good to stop and consider the awesome God we serve. He is not a part of the world, He is Creator of the world. Nothing exists that has not been created by Him. Looking up and taking note, paying attention stirs a sense of wonder and a reverent fear within, a fear, not a terror. We are reminded not to take everything for granted as if we have a right to all that God has given to us. It is a blessing, it is His grace poured out for us, His love that has made all that we have possible, and more. He says that He created us for His good pleasure.
Revelation 4.11
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
When we think of God in terms of relationship and obedience to Him, it is like a child wanting to please a parent, wanting to be a joy and a pleasure to a mother or father who loves them. It is not a duty but a desire, knowing that we can thoroughly trust that God wants what is good for us. He wants us to be mature, to grow in our faith, to be strong. Don’t we want our children to be secure and strong in the knowledge that we love them and will do all we can to help them. When God gave Moses the 10 commandments they revealed so much about His nature and what He desires from man. Not rigid laws but deep relational commitment that expresses obedience and love and wholehearted desire and intention to honour Him. These 10 requirements are discussed in the book of Leviticus chapter 20. In Hebrew, the book of Leviticus is named for its opening word, “Vayikra” meaning – “And He called”.
God called out to Moses and showed His desire to repair and establish His relationship with Israel. The All powerful, supreme, Sovereign Power reaching out to a lost people who have known only slavery, hardship and have lost hope, offering them love, kindness, protection, fellowship and so much more. Louis Giglio in his video "Indescribable" demonstrates the magnitude of this gesture. The earth that is so, so small, that in the immense size of the universe, it is but a pin head on which we humans live our lives. Teeny weeny little people in whom this magnificent, omnipotent, omnipresent God takes an interest, reaches out and speaks. The God Who clothes every blade of grass (Mathew 6:30) Who knows every sparrow that falls and the number of hairs on your head. (Mathew 10. 26-31). The One Who knows what we are going to say before we say it. (Psalm 139.4) Nothing escapes His notice…..nothing!
He is concerned about us, each one of us. What does He want from us? We can offer Him nothing that does not already belong to Him, the world and everything in it is His. Yet there is something that He asks for, He does not take it, but He asks that we would, in our own free will, return to Him. He asks that we would love Him and have nothing more important than Him in our lives. That we have no other gods before Him for He is a jealous God and wants no images or idols to be present in our lives. God first, second and last. If we get that right everything else falls into place. For those who love and live in obedience to Him, He shows His love and blessings. I am not talking about the Law which was impossible to obey, I am talking about hearts that are surrendered to Him, yielded and willing to follow His ways. Allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to work and bring about transformation, changing the mind, the will and making us like Christ. Jesus was obedient unto death and only did what the Father said to do. Oh my goodness that sounds so heavy and impossible. But, no. Jesus says His burden is light.
Mathew 11.28- 30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jesus calls us to come to Him and He offers us rest from the burden of trying to earn our way back to God and from the oppressive yoke of self-righteousness and legalism. He has opened the door to fellowship with God, deep, intimate, wonderful, joyful relationship with God. He says “Come !” What does it take to come to Him? Faith ! Believing not only that He exists but that He wants a real friendship with you. Many believe that He exists but fewer understand His longing to build a relationship with those made in His image. The Lord spoke to Jeremiah, and this is what He said in Jeremiah 31.3, “ The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah was a man just like you and I and God loved him and drew Him in, coaxed him with loving kindness.
God the Father, Who we may call Abba, has revealed Himself to us through His son Jesus Christ and through Jesus has made a way for us to come and meet with Him. He calls us, He has chosen us and He sets us apart for Himself. I am speaking about this wondrous, awesome God who created the universe and everything in it. The God who is the Alpha and the Omega, Who was and is and is to come. The Ancient of Days. He has so many beautiful names that reveal something of Who He is and as I have said He is indescribable. And it is this indescribable One Who speaks to us through His Son and says “Come.” “Come.”
Let us respond and pray:
Heavenly Father,
We would come to You with open hearts. We long to know You more fully and to understand Your ways. We would praise Your name and proclaim Your goodness. And make You known among the nations, telling others what You have done. Let us sing to You and glory in your Holy name, for we would seek You with all our hearts. Help us to see You more clearly and know You more intimately so that we may rejoice in fellowship with You. We want to learn to love You - with body, soul and spirit.
Amen