G- God's Character

God's character is probably the most important aspect of the entire Bible, yet it's probably also the aspect that we neglect to think about enough in our own walks with God. The government and a lot of activists groups like to comment on what they think the character of God is like, however you and I are probably not as quick to write up a Facebook post about this instead of writing a post about those same activists groups and their "crazy" ideas (More on that next week). Without the character of God, the Bible doesn't even exist. Who God is creates the very foundation of our faith and we should meditate on the truths of his character daily. 

So who is God?

According to those activists groups or any disgruntled person on any given day, God is a pretty mean guy. He takes a lot of what we want away. He lets terrible things happen in our lives and is full of hate and wrath toward us. Some say that if "God" even is real then its no god that they want to serve. Unfortunately, this view of God is becoming more and more popular. As humans, we search for answers and when we can't find them we shake our fist at the sky and blame our creator.

Thankfully, the people above are completely wrong. They have confused God with the backlash of sin and have turned their bitterness towards the wrong offender. The God who made is so much more than wrath.

God is love. I know you have probably seen that written on some sort of Facebook post where you were prompted to "share it" because God saw you read it, but it's true. God is love in its purest, most untampered form. Like fate, I read 1 Corinthians 13 in my devotional tonight and immediately I knew I had to include it in this post. We usually pull out these verses on engagement posts to put on instagram but never really consider the actual weight of the words.

"Love is patient, love is kind,

Love does not envy, 

it is not boastful or conceited, 

does not act improperly,

is not selfish, is not provoked,

and does not keep a record of wrongs. 

Love finds no joy in unrighteousness

but rejoices in the truth.

It bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails."

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

Yes, this is an awesome verse of marriage, but its also an awesome verse for the character of God. God is love.  He is patient, kind, not boastful, not selfish. He keeps no record of wrongs (once you accept Jesus), he rejoices in the truth. He bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. God never fails. 

How amazing is that? On top of that, God is personal. He actively seeks a relationship with you. One of the stories David told about a mission trip he went on somewhere in the Middle East. He was talking to a Buddhist and a Muslim all day and after talking for a while, he asked them a question based on what he had picked up on from their conversation. He said "So if you do all these rituals and pray this amount of times and keep yourself clean, you essentially are journeying up a mountain to get to God, right? And once you get there you're golden." The men agreed, very pleased that he understood. David replied "What if I told you that you don't have to do that. God comes down the mountain and meets you". 

Oh how much of God's unending love and grace do we take for granted? The fact that I can pray to my God any time of the day and know that he is listening to every word that I speak is more than enough. Every Sunday I feel his presence in Church and I know that He is with me. I feel him when I walk through trials or when I'm scared. He knows my name, how many hairs are on my head, what I'm thinking this exact moment, the contents of my heart. What other "god" makes the journey to you where you are? What other "god" allows you to be his without praying a certain amount of times a day or performing certain rituals? There is no one like our God y'all and that is GOOD NEWS.

Our God is perfect. And He made us perfect and I will elaborate on that in such great detail next week. But because of our sin we is also a wrathful God. We must pay for the wrongs that we commit every single day. The price is high, unpayable by the wealthiest of men. No good works can remove the price tag that is on your head. 

But that's okay, because our God is merciful and gracious. He is 3-in-1. He paid the price and took the punishment for every single sin that every single person in the entire world that ever has or is or ever will be has committed. He took the cup of wrath, drank it in full, and then turned it over because it was bone dry and said "It is FINISHED". Yes, don't tell me God isn't love because I am bathing in it. 

God deserves our praises, our adoration, our entire lives and beings. And hopefully by the end of this series we will all be able to agree on that. I think I could discuss who God is and how incredibly tangible he and his love is forever, but I will stop now and let us all meditate on this post, mostly on the last 2 paragraphs written above. Thank God for the glorious lover of souls that he is and remember his goodness. He is more than enough.