Sometimes, in our own way, we have a tendency to fashion and mold God into who we want Him to be.
If we need a Provider, we look at God as sort of a Santa Claus. Someone who’s looking to see if we’ve been naughty or nice, and of course, we’ve been nice, so He’s going to provide what we want. We want Him to lavish us with gifts.
Sometimes, we look at God as a Policeman. He’s there to protect and serve, keeping us from all harm and danger, and arresting the bad guys
We look at God as a Judge, someone who will bring the gavel down and pronounce our innocence and set us free from the prison others have confined us to.
Then, there are times we look at God as our BF (our Best Friend). We talk about Him as the Big Guy in the sky… our buddy… our pal. We talk about our friendship and how He’s always there for us. He’s always at our beckoning call, something like a puppy – when we whistle we expect Him to come!
I know that sounds somewhat harsh, but it’s true. There are times we have devalued God. Just so you know, He can’t be devalued, but in our attempt to make Him more personal, more reachable, we have brought Him down to our level, spoke about Him in our terms, so that He might be more acceptable and accessible.
That’s what came to mind as I read Isaiah 46 today. Here’s what God says in verse 5…
“So to whom will you compare Me, the Incomparable? Can you picture Me without reducing Me?” Isaiah 46:5 MSG
I don’t know about you friend, but I find that I really have a limited vocabulary in trying to express how great our God is. “Awesome” just seems a bit light. “Fantastic” sounds more like fantasy and doesn’t fit. “Phenomenal” doesn’t seem big enough.
I quickly come to the realization that there is nothing that compares to our God. He is above and beyond it all… and yet, so close, so real, so intimate with us. That’s exactly why Jesus came to be one of us. He came to associate with us. He came to show He understands. He came, God in the straw, so that we would value Him, above and beyond.
Here’s my word of encouragement for you today: Give to God, our incomparable God, the best you have. Don’t try to bring Him down to our level. You rise up to His level. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 NASB
Father,
Today we lift up our praises to You. There is no god like You. Though my words may seem small, listen not just to my lips, but listen to the cry of my heart as I pour out my love for You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Rev. Dr. MM Marxhausen
Mark was Spiritual Director for VdC from 2016 to 2019. He's written many of the devotions, especially the Devote and Affirm series, found on this website.
