God's Character

HIS CHARACTER

I do not pretend to know all the characteristics of God; indeed, sweeping generalizations of His goodness would be an easy scribe.  But a friend admonished me, "Healing is in the details." and so I labor in this chapter to present, in detail, the one who has captured my heart, my passion, my profound allegiance.

AS HIS CHARACTER APPLIES TO ME


There is a natural order to the discovery of God's characteristics.  Coming to know those characteristics did not happen overnight, indeed, it took a lifetime.  Your discovery of Him may not, and very likely will not, happen in the same order or way that my journey of discovery is happening. 

God cannot lie.  Hebrews 6:18  (CEB)  “…it’s impossible for God to lie.”

Near to the end of the Scriptures is the one statement of God's character that is the foundation of all others:  "...it is impossible for God to lie..."  That this is God's character insures confidence in the entirety of the Scriptures.  There are many 'stories' that would challenge one's belief, but I choose not to enter that futile debate as I have accepted that God is not a liar; indeed, Jesus credits Satan as being the "father of lies", even asserting that lies are the devil's "native language". (John 8:44)  That I choose to believe that God is not a liar adds power to the following characteristics.

God is good.  Mark 10:18 and Luke 18:19 (NIV)  "Why do you call me good?...No one is good - except God alone."

This quote was spoken by Jesus.  Don't know what his definition of the word 'good' is, but I trust the translators of the Scriptures down through the years provided the best possible interpretation for our purposes.  That said, I went to my trusty Encarta and found a bazillion different definitions, all of them inadequate to my understanding of the good-ness of God.

The 'good' that is the character of God is all encompassing, complete.  There is not one facet of God that is wanting.  His glass is never half-full.  One could never say, I wish God were more loving or faithful or nurturing, etc.  There is no limit.  One could never say, As a Creator, God's goodness could be better seen through ________or if He were really good, that He can't lie would be better reflected in________.

God is good.  As you get to know His character, you will find completeness.  There is nothing else in all creation that can be expressed in such fashion.
           
God is spirit.   John 4:24  (NIV)

"God is spirit..." always seemed such a lofty concept, making it especially hard to believe that this God who loved me understood the depth of despair that tormented me and drove me to consider, what to many was, the unthinkable.

I knew Jesus was human, indeed, God had impressed upon me the significance of Jesus' humanity.  One of the striking things from that lesson was realizing He felt the nails that pierced his hands and feet.  He felt the 40-minus-1 blows administered by the soldiers.

Jesus was human, and as a human I knew He understood despair and hopelessness; the end of Hebrews 4 confirms this and encourages us to "...approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (v.16)

This made the second part of John 4:24 easier for me to understand: "...and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth."

This despair, this hopelessness I was experiencing had to be expressed to God; it had to be brought out into the open. 

Entering into worship by truthfully acknowledging the despondency and hopelessness that resided in my spirit and which defined my days became the catalyst to healing.  I was no longer 'faking it' when I met with God each day; I now approached His "throne of grace with confidence" and truthfully put the 'problem' into the light, where He helped me address it.

God is love.  1 John 4:16  (NIV)

Were you the student who complained, 'How is this math ever going to benefit me in later life?"  I complained, but have now learned the most important application of basic math - discovering the depth of God's love. 

First John 4:16 reads, "God is love."  First Corinthians 13:8 reads, "Love never fails." 

Mathematic application: If A (God) equals B (Love) and B (Love) equals C (inability to fail) then A must equal C.  Therefore, God never fails.

But it doesn't end there, because love is described in verses 4-7, and the elements of love also fit the algorithm.

Verses 4-7 read, "love is patient...kind...does not envy...boast...is not proud...rude...self-seeking...easily angered...keeps no record of wrongs...does not deight in evil but rejoices with the truth...always protects...trusts...hopes...perseveres."

So I began realizing just what it meant to be loved by God.  He is patient.  When someone is patient, expectation of perfection cannot possibly exist.  And yet, I expected it from myself; but God is patient with me, even in my gross imperfection.   

As stated in a previous chapter, I had tried to take my own life; in learning the depth of God's love, I see that He keeps no record of wrongs.  I have, towards myself, but because of God's very character, I am assured that he is not and has not kept record of all these wrongs.

This love that God is, I want.  Hope is in that list of things that describe love; and hope was horribly missing from my life.  

Indeed, God is Love.  And hidden within love is an enormous amount of character.  Life transforming character.

He is the God of peace.  1 Corinthians 14:33  (NIV)

This characteristic of the Father is probably my favorite; the "Aha!" moment came like a daylight bulb to a SADD sufferer.

The above scripture reads, "For God is not the god of disorder but of peace."

This was significant, as in other versions of the Bible 'disorder' was actually the word 'chaos', the exact word I used to describe what was happening in my head.

The wonderful ability to think and reason was about to become an ally in my journey to wellness: If God is not the god of disorder or chaos, then what is going on in my head couldn't possibly be from God.  Aha!  So, where, or who is it from?  Never mind that question!  It's only fodder for more insanity!  Finish the thought on which you started!  "...but of peace."  God is the god of peace.  That means that peace as a factor in any realm would suggest that God is present.

God's character of peace was now a measure by which I could determine many things, foremost among them is my basic well-being.  If peace was lacking, there were elements of my self-care which were also being neglected. 

Most of those elements were tools found in the well-stocked shed of the Scriptures; among them was this gem: "...take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."  In context or out it was appropriate. 

Now, when derailed by unkind or menacing thoughts, my first response is prayer, to ask that my thoughts would indeed be taken captive; that the peace in which He longs for me to dwell would indeed be a reality.  My mind is given over to Scriptures of yesteryear:  Philippians 4:8 "...whatever is true...noble...right...pure...lovely...admirable...excellent...praiseworthy - think on these things."

And there are many of those things to choose from!

God is indeed the god of peace.

God is faithful.  "...the Lord is faithful..."  (2 Thessalonians 3:3 NIV)

Without this character trait, it would be impossible to read the Scriptures and know that His Word is worthy or our trust.

This scripture goes on to read, "...he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one."  Because He is faithful, I can depend on that.  Living with this assurance allows me to go forward in my day, knowing - not believing, but knowing that when the menacing begins, He provides the strength and protection needed not to succumb.

Psalm 145:13 is significant as I discover more about God, "The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made."

Aware that I am handcrafted by God (see Psalm 139), in meditation I query, what are Your promises?  Both the Old and New Testaments state and reiterate, "...I will never leave you or forsake you..."

He is faithful to always be with me.  The meditation continues, ...surely He will leave me when I fail in my faithfulness to Him... and a multitude of scenarios come to mind that give me confidence that His faithfulness in this promise couldn't possibly stand.

But Romans 3:3-4 assails my argument, "Will [man's] lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?  Not at all!"

There stands no argument against this truth:  God is faithful!

God is provider.   "...God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."  (1 Timothy 6:17 NIV)


In the very well known story in Genesis where God provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice on the mountain, he named the place according to the events, "The Lord Will Provide".  And, he named it using an active term - 'will'.  Abraham knew God as provider, indeed, his ancestors also knew that facet of God's character, clear back to Adam and Eve.

As I observe the hustle-bustle of life around me, I wonder how this busy-ness could possibly reconcile with what I read in Scriptures about God as provider.  Meditative ponderings put everything in perspective.

The first question was important, What did God provide? In this particular story He provided the sacrifice that He asked Abraham to make. The days of Abraham were very different from today, although the prinicple remains the same; God provided.

The second question was key, What did God provide for first man and first woman?  Without a doubt, He provided all that was needed for their well-being; God was not of a character to create two people with physiological, psychological and spiritual needs and then tell them to fend for themselves.  That is something some humans would do, but not God.

And then the kicker, how different am I and are my needs from first man and first woman?  With this began a searching meditation that ultimately resulted in an acute awareness of the simplicity of the 'good' life, as intended and provided by God.

But for now it is time to rest and rejoice in The Lord [who] Will Provide.

God is nurturer.  Isaiah 42:3

This verse speaks of the Servant of the Lord; I believe this is God's Son, Jesus Christ:  "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out."

There are many times when those who contemplate suicide could be considered as fragile as a bruised reed or whose wick is a heartbeat from being extinguished.  But Jesus will not do that to us; some people will, but Jesus won't ever break us or snuff us out.

This is the one characteristic of God that, had I not experienced it, I would never have known what it is, or conversely, what it's lack looks like.  My experience is that the nurturer is a teacher - not necessarily a teacher by trade but a teacher by design, God's design. 

I was raised in a nuturing home, but when I went out on my own I seemed to surround myself with people who made up the dog-eat-dog segment of society.  I quickly found myself with a choice: learn to survive or become dog-food.  My parents nurtured me back to health numerous times, cheering guardedly when it appeared their efforts reached fruition.  'Healthy' though I might have been, a nurturer I was not, though a self-deceiving ego allowed me to believe I was.   Indeed, I seemed to sport a kick-me sign from the back of my t-shirt, and conducted myself as though it was my duty to pass-on this gesture to those around me.

It took about twenty years, but again I found myself in need of and cradled in a nurturing environment.  What did I learn after this last bout?  Maintaining wellness is daily thing; I never get to claim I have arrived. 

These wonderful people, these nurturers, are all teachers - by trade and by design.  They all were created in the image of God that is nurturer.  It is the characteristic of God by which we are all blessed.

God is Creator.   "In the beginning God created..."  (Genesis 1:1 NIV)

This facet of God's character is significant to me because it is the one to which I most intimately identify.

Let's skip ahead to the 27th verse of this same chapter.  It reads, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

Now, I entertain no theological challengers on this; the Scriptures are for every man, as presented and illuminated by the Holy Spirit.  Application is a miracle of God.

Characteristically, I questioned what I was reading, What does it mean to be 'created...in his own image'?  

Over time, I realized this was a fluid question, ever changing as more of His image is revealed.  But my starting point was knowing God as Creator. 

Popular thought suggests we have found what we were created for when we discover the ease with which time slips away while engaged in it.  Too many arguments against this blanket concept, but I will say that creating - from beginning to end - completely satiates me.  And in meditation I could 'see' The Creator about His business - in all stages of the creative process.  In the end, He stands back, assesses His work, and, as recorded in the last verse of the first book of the Bible, declares, "...it was very good."

Creatively speaking, I don't make something from nothing as He does.  I can't just speak something into being as He can.  What I can - no, must do is recognize that the creative process is part of being made in the image of God and requires an outlet.

Over time and in meditation I have come to realize that the resources from which I can create are spiritual as well as physical.  It is possible to create a place of peace within my mind, a place of welcome within my home.

To dishonor this characteristic is to begin closing the door that leads to my wellbeing.

Next, we shall explore just what it is that this amazing God created - for us!