Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD?” Exodus 5:2
Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
Then Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:13, 15
Paul said, “Who are you Lord?” Acts 9:5
It’s a classic, timeless question…”God, who are You?” I might even ask you that same question. And don’t answer “my everything”, that’s much to general/vague.
Will you allow me to daresay, God is who YOU say He is. Now this is not entirely true. The very truth of the matter is, God IS who He says He is. But, in His amazingness, He has allowed our own perceptions (to a degree) determine what/who He is. Before you jump all over me, let’s look into the scriptures a bit!
Psalm 18:25-26
The merciful = merciful; the pure = pure; the blameless = blameless; crooked man = *seem* tortuous
Matthew 25:14-30
Parable of the Talents – Only the last servant said the master was a hard man. The other two servants did not share his opinion of the master, they were able to partake of the master’s joy! The master ended up treating the wicked servant harsh, just like what the servant thought of him. His thoughts of the master became his reality.
Psalm 91 – *I will say of the LORD* MY refuge, fortress, God, in whom I trust. Exactly what David needed and expected of the Lord is what God made Himself to David.
When I first began my walk with God, I didn’t consciously realize that what I desperately wanted was a true friend. I know I was only 14, but I had already been burned in the friendship department and it really hurt. God very quickly became my best friend! Over the years, as I’ve grown, matured, and changed, my needs and wants of God have also grown, matured and changed. If you ever wonder why the worship part of our church services is so expressive and demonstrative it’s because of the depth of love we have for God and because through our own trials in life, God has proven Himself strong on our behalf more than a few times.
Everyone here has experienced some pain in their life, it’s inevitable in this world we live in. However, what varies from person to person is how we respond to the pain. Here are a few examples of responses
- Anger, blame, bitterness. Instead of seeking healing these individuals blame. Blame God, blame people, blame circumstances, blame self, BLAME. Sadly, if they stop there, they’ll never be healed. They say, “God is cruel. He must not be real!”
- Logic, human understanding, rationalization. Instead of seeking healing, these individuals rationalize it and come up with a human plan to do their best not to get hurt again. This may work to a degree, but it’s superficial. It’s not the deep wholeness healing we truly need. They say, “God has a plan. I don’t understand it. But, the Bible says… I’ll do what I can to find peace myself.” This is head knowledge, head healing, not deep heart/soul knowledge or healing.
- Healing, wholeness, forgiveness, comfort. These individuals truly seek God not just to heal the hurt but to actually become their HEALER. They don’t just quote peaceful scriptures, they go to a place in prayer where God actually becomes their comforter, counselor, their peace! They say, “Jesus is my refuge, my shelter, my hope, my peace, my joy!!!” They say these things because they’ve actually allowed God to BECOME those for them.
I’ve seen all three of these reactions in my experience. And some variations in-between.
Luke 7:40-47 The one who is forgiven much, loves much. The depth of our worship and adoration for God is directly linked to what He is and has done for us.
So, let me ask again, who or what do you say God is??