TAKING A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT GOD'S ATTRIBUTES

"The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:7

"Which commandment is the most important of all?" Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:29-30

J.I. Packer in the first chapter of his great book, Knowing God, wrote: "the people who know God think great thoughts about God". I have been writing the past few weeks about taking moments to "pause" in our life and commune with God. I have suggested that a major part of our communion is to read, reflect upon, and to respond to scripture through prayer and action, God's primary means of revelation of Himself. The goal of reading, reflecting, and responding to God's revelation is to see Him for all that He is and savor Him for all that He is worth. In short, to see and experience His love, so as to love Him with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength. That is the purpose Paul says for all teaching and doctrine in 1 Timothy 1:7.

To know God is to love Him. Let me give you some attributes of His that the scripture reveals that you can reflect upon this week, help you to know him better, and fall in love with Him.

1. GOD IS ETERNAL- "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (Revelation 22:13)

This gives me great encouragement! Think about how your God is God is a timeless God who knows and numbers each of days before they even come to us. He holds each moment of your lives in His loving hands and has planned each one of them to bring Him glory. When I ponder this it frees me from the anxiety that causes me to think that each moment is purposeful. It brings calm to me in the middle of life's pressures and stresses.

2.GOD IS GREAT- "Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.Declare his glory among the nations,his marvelous works among all the peoples!For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary." (Psalm 96:1-6)

Think about how large and in charge God really is. Nothing is impossible with him (Luke 1:37). He is able to do far above anything that you ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). We are small, limited, and finite. He is big, unlimited, and infinite. What more appropriate response to His greatness is to worship Him.

3. GOD IS BEAUTIFUL- "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple"(Psalm 27:4)

The most beautiful thing or person in this world is but a mere shadow compared to the beauty of the one who made everything. To see His beauty is to free us from the temptation of being enthralled and satisfied with lessor things and draws our soul to an insatiable longing to raise our vision to higher and more lovely things.

4. GOD IS POWERFUL- "Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea,the LORD on high is mighty!" (Psalm 93:4)

Our God is the only one who deserves to be spoken of as "awesome"! He has ultimate strength and can do ANYTHING that He chooses. Oh what encouragement and strength I receive when in my own broken weakness, I contemplate His strength for me. "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him"(2 Chronicles 16:9). How helpful it is to contemplate on His strength and to allow that understanding to shape the way we live in total dependence upon Him.

5. GOD IS WISE- "For the LORD gives wisdom;from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright" (Proverbs 2:6-7)

There is so much foolishness that we trust in ourselves and this foolish world. Over all fool's wisdom is the true wisdom that comes from the fountain of wisdom, the Lord Himself. We need to constantly stay connected to Him and his word for the wisdom and guidance that e need to live in this world of foolishness.

6. GOD IS HOLY- "There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides you;there is no rock like our God." (1 Samuel 2:2)

God is spotless and pure. He is moral perfection. He is blameless and faultless. He is unique, one of a kind. He is completely distinct form all His creation. As He is holy, so are we to be holy. The only way to be holy is to learn about His holiness and to throw yourself in utter and complete dependence in your unholiness and sinfulness as an offering to Him. He will make you holy by the indwelling Holy Spirit and the washing of His Holy Word.

7. GOD IS GOOD- "You are good, and what you do is good" (Psalm 119:68)

God shows His goodness for His constant care upon rebellious sinners; his special care for His people,and in the greatest expression of love and mercy that the world has ever known, the death of His Son Jesus Christ for you and me. His goodness extends throughout our daily lives. His goodness pursues us all the days of our lives (Psalm 23:6).

Oh may you take a pause to refresh your soul today and meditate upon this beautiful God of yours. Would you begin to think great thoughts of God as you get to know Him? May you see Him for who He is in all His attributes for you. May you treasure Him and love Him for all that He is worth.

Pastor Bill