A PICTURE OF GOD!

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 29 August 2012

Hi all,

There are stars, superstars and then there is Jesus. He is our morning star. When all the others have faded and vanished from the sky, He will still shine as brightly as ever. Today’s meditation looks at “pictures” of God and concludes that no other god is any good. Jesus Christ alone should be worshipped and adored. He is God!

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 29 August 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	A PICTURE OF GOD!
One of the cutest little stories I’ve come across is about the young girl and her drawings. She was very busy working on her latest picture. Her teacher asked her, “What are you drawing?” “A picture of God” the little girl replied. “But nobody knows what God looks like” said the teacher. The little girl replied, “They will when I’ve finished”. One of our greatest problems is the fact that we don’t know what God looks like! We are inclined to ask why? The simple reason is because it has been forbidden by God. 2 "I am the LORD your God, -- 3 "Never have any other god. 4 Never make your own carved idols or statues that represent any creature in the sky, on the earth, or in the water. 5 Never worship them or serve them, Exodus 20:2-5 GW. People ask why this is so important from God’s point of view? There are a number of reasons. The first is because we should not even ask this question. God only forbids our doing things which would harm other people and our relationship with Him. He has said, “Don’t do it!” That should be sufficient reason for us. The next reason is related to the little girl in our story above. We don’t know what He looks like. How do we describe someone we know very little about? (ask any politician) It would be a complete guess. Worse than that. It would be inadequate as a description of God. How does one describe a Being Who is infinite but displays a number of human characteristics? It’s a bit like playing Russian Roulette with all the barrels loaded. No matter how we envision Him, it would be wrong. Worse than that. It would be a picture of a false god. Yes He has described some of His “qualities”. But these are incomplete. When we remember that everything He is, He is infinitely. How do we draw or describe a picture of infinite love? Another point is, because it is unnecessary. In reply to Philip’s request that Jesus show them the Father, Jesus replied, 9 "I have been with all of you for a long time. Don't you know me yet, Philip? The person who has seen Me has seen the Father. So how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? John 14:9 GW In spite of all the above, there is a way to get a glimpse of the Father. Look at Jesus dying on the cross. In response to the question, “How much does the Father love us”, we can say, “Enough to send His Son to die for us”. Another way is to see his hands stretched out and pointing, as it were, to infinity. How do we describe this? It’s utterly impossible. But the picture of Jesus Christ and His redeeming love displayed on the cross is a beautiful description of God. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. Psalms 4:8 NLT 4 He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armour and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Psalms 91:4-5 NLT 37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Matthew 23:37 TNIV 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. Psalms 121:3-5 ESV 4 I long to live in your holy tent forever. There I find safety in the shadow of your wings. Selah Psalms 61:4 NIrV 12 It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you. Psalms 139:12 MSG 32 If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? Romans 8:32 MSG 22 Whether it is Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life or death, present or future things, everything belongs to you. 23 You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. 1 Corinthians 3:22-23 GW 2 "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation." Isaiah 12:2 ESV	We wonder what God looks like. We really do not know. And trying to imagine Him is not the way to go. He sees that as idolatry. An idol in the mind Is just as much an idol, as the any we can find. Don’t think that in this century they simply don’t exist. Take a look around you and read my little list! Chelsea, Leeds and Sunderland and Manchester’s two clubs. The Yankees and the Phillies and the Chicago Cubs The Kiwi’s and the Proteas, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Fighting with a cricket bat to do the best they can And then there’s the Olympics which always draws a crowd. Men worship at these temples, which all are not allowed. Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar, a Brand new SUV. People gather round them and quickly bow the knee. Federer and Henman and both the Williams gals, All the sporting superstars and their related pals. Then there’s Hashim Amla, Tendulka and Shane Warne. And don’t forget Prince William and others royal born. Prince Harry and his picture which made the centre fold; And all those modern paintings the galleries want sold. And then there’s Pavarotti, the Beatles and Tom Jones. Josh Groban, Celtic Women and then the Rolling Stones. They have got their following who worship night and day. Don’t say they are not idols, they’re catog’rised that way! You see the massive temples, their many fans applaud. Loftus Versveld, Wimbledon, The Wanderers and Lords. The Super Bowl, The GABBA; wherever folk pack in, To sing their team’s achievements, not knowing it’s a sin! But they will have to answer to the Lord God High above. About these foreign idols, that all the people love. If only they would realise and somehow come to grips, With Jesus Christ the Superstar puts all them in eclipse. Then when their teams have fallen to the bottom of the pile. Perhaps they then will see how much that Satan will beguile. But then it will be far too late. Their last chance will be gone. And in the grip of Satan, they’ll have to carry on. Jim Strickland – Written 29th August, 2012