Knowing God - 1 Chronicles 16:26

(from Pastor)

For all the gods of the nations are idols,

but the Lord made the heavens.

1 Chronicles 16:26

 

The second commandment says, essentially, "no idols" and "no graven images." The simple explanation of this is that we're not supposed to have statues or pictures of God. The reason for this commandment is that as soon as we "draw" a picture of God, it's like we've attempted to confine in infinite God to a single sheet of paper. Not on purpose, surely! Nevertheless, no matter how great the artist, our creations automatically limit the Creator.

 

However, since few of us intentionally draw graven pictures, how does this apply? Well, if we're honest, we actually produce "pictures" of God all the time. How? We constantly say, "Well I see God like this?" Or "I can't imagine a God who would do that." Our canvas is our mind. And we continually picture what God is like.

 

Scripture says, "Quit imagining!" Instead, we need to read the word. We need to let scripture tell us who God is ... even when the picture is hard. Why? Because when we begin to embrace the complexity of God, we finally begin to see the true God more clearly.

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants his mind to be a blank canvas

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The more I learn ... The less I know.  Especially where God is concerned.  However, there are times when I need to say to myself, "God is..." In certain times I need to really know and focus on limited attributes of God versus trying to futilely trying to wrap my mind around the complexity of who is really is. We were asked once to write who God was, I simply wrote, 

"God is ..."  

To be honest though, it should be, 

"God was ... God is ... God will always be ... "