seeing God more clearly

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Posted:

30th October, 2006


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Ways of seeing God's glory more clearly

The ultimate joy of eternal life in the kingdom of God consists of “seeing God's face” (Rev. 22:4). Do we really grasp what that means? If we don't, we might wonder what all the fuss over eternal life is all about. If you wish to better understand, please take a few minutes to read an old blog, The glory of God: a never-ending feast.

So how can you and I gain a better view of God's glory? In that old blog we emphasized the role of the visible creation in giving insights into the invisible glory of God. But the Creation doesn't teach us about all aspects of the Mind and Being of God; it shows us primarily His “eternal power and Godhead” (Rom. 1:20). But God consists of a lot more than infinite power alone. (The concept of “power” encompasses a whole lot more than mere “energy”, and includes such things as “aesthetic power” — His unlimited capacity for composing beautiful sights and sounds, and so on.)

Let me identify the “right direction” for you to pursue to enable you to see other aspects of divine Glory. The key is found in Psalm 111:2:

The works of the Lord are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them.

All of God's works — not just the mind-blowing work of creating the material universe — are of inestimable value in enlarging our peephole into heaven. The word “works” here could equally well be rendered “doings”. In other words, everything God has done provides a window into His glorious nature in like manner as an architect's poetry (were he to compose any) gives us further insights into His thinking than can be gleaned just by looking at his building designs.

Undoubtedly the most significant of God's “doings” is His act of “enfleshing Himself” in the form of Jesus Christ (See, Was Jesus God?). Though none of us has seen Jesus Christ in the same way His contemporaries did, Scripture has recorded the highlights of His mighty deeds and amazing words in the gospels. The material creation does not tell us anything about the compassion of God, but the resurrection of the widow of Nain's son does (Luke 7:12-15). Read it and look into the beautiful mind of God. God's endless love cannot be seen in distant galaxies, but it can be seen in the events of Calvary.

We human beings with our sinfulness give each other many cases of the “irrits”. Nevertheless, where would we be without other people? Hermits might not realize it, but even they need companionship. The joy that fellowship untainted by sin can bring to us social animals helps us get a better feel for

the “sociability” of God. He doesn't need fellowship, as He needs nothing. He lived for eternity by Himself and never got bored or lonely. Yet He is the Author of communities, of families, of all aspects of sin-free human interrelationships. Words fail me to describe what I learn about God through wholesome relationships of His doing, but I know I gain insights into His mind through enjoying company. Martha and I recently spent a delightful afternoon at the beach with two grandchildren. I repeat; don't ask me to explain what I learned about God from the experience, but I know I was enriched by it, and that richness comes from Him. One of God's names is Lord of Hosts — in His infinite love He delights to engage with billions of angels and, in due course, with billions of glorified saints. He loves companionship so much He created billions of potential companions.

You don't learn about God's “mercy and truth” (e.g. Ps. 89:14) — a subject worthy of many books in its own right — by examining the structure of DNA or the wonders of ocean sediments, but you do by studying His commitment to His covenant with Abraham and his descendants, the Israelites.

You won't learn about the endless aspects of “divine morality” by studying the moon and stars, but you will by taking His law seriously. Reject the law, and one may slam shut a window into the thinking of God.

Watching whales recently lifted my spirits immeasurably, but it didn't enrich my grasp of divine justice or of the sovereign will of God. But a careful study of God's dealings with the nations during the conquest of Canaan and the later “shaking of all nations” in the centuries prior to the Roman Empire will, if you are not so foolish as to put yourself in the judgment seat, help you see better than anything else can that He is a just Judge and is sovereign Lord of all that is.

Should a temple ever be built, and I can afford to get there, I'll be paying a visit in hopes of catching a glimpse of some aspect of God's glory that can be caught only there. Don't know what I'm talking about? Read Psalm 63:2. I can hardly wait to find out what it consists of.

Be like Zacchaeus who climbed a tree to get a better view of Jesus Christ. Keep your eyes peeled for His acts; every one can give you a better view of God. Pursue every line of inquiry available to enlarge your image of the infinite glory of God. Let God and His glory be in all your thoughts. Only by being heavenly-minded can one be any earthly good.

"Dushka" (that's what they call me) having a ball with grandchidlren.Who can explain in words exactly what we learn, but such human relationships enlarge our insight into the Mind that formed them.


 
 

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