One of the most beautiful things in being in a genuine, vulnerable relationship is being seen and heard for who you really are. When we see and hear who God really is – revealed to us through His Spirit – we can take a hold of His Word and His promises from a position of faith. Our personal history with Him – through all of the joys and disappointments – is a beautiful testimony of His glorious attributes that shape our lives.
All throughout scriptures we read about God’s attributes – His goodness, kindness, power, love, justice, righteous anger, mercy and on and on. Every facet of God is an expression of His heart towards us, His image bearers. Not only do we receive His kindness, but because of the Cross and by being empowered by His Spirit, that same kindness of God overflows to those around us.
Today as we focus on His inexhaustible character, personality and attributes, let’s ask Holy Spirit, to reveal to us who the Father wants to be in this season of our lives.
Have you ever wondered and stared in awe at the incredible mystery and vastness of the ocean?
Have you listened to the birds chirping during the early morning hours?
Have you laid on green grass, closed your eyes and felt the warmth of the sunlight on your face?
Or felt the cool afternoon breeze blow gently through your hair?
Have you been astounded by the profound wisdom of God in the weaving of life in the womb and the birth of a baby?
I believe, experiences like these make it so easy and right to worship our brilliant and astonishing Creator God.
Recently I came across this breathtaking picture on Nasa’s website. It’s a picture captured on the Hubble telescope of what appears to be as they called it, a “celestial, snow angel.” Isn’t this incredible and so descriptive of how enormous and great our God is?
Consider this with me:
God’s wisdom and power is mind boggling! All throughout our world we see glimpses of His attributes and character. From the countless stars in the night sky, to the miracle of giving birth to a baby, to being able to wake up today with breath in our lungs, it is all a brilliant display and expression of God’s powerful attributes.
When we see our lives and the world around us, through the filter of God’s attributes, our understanding of who He is deepens and not only that, the perspective we hold about our circumstances also shift!
To think that this all powerful God longs for to hear our voice throughout the day, yearns to engage with us and desires fellowship with us, is humbling and amazing!
Acts 17: 24-29 says, “The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for Him, as if He couldn’t take care of Himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make Him. Starting from scratch, He made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find Him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; He’s near. We live and move in Him, can’t get away from Him! One of your poets said it well: ‘We’re the God-created.’
In Him we live, move and have our BEING. In God’s satisfying Presence, we get to find our existence. Being with Him, interacting with Him, adoring Him – right in the middle of traffic, at work with multiple demands on our plate, shopping at Target, unloading the dishwasher (again!!!), or delighting in the carpet lines on our freshly vacuumed living room (tell me I’m not the only one who gets happy about carpet lines?? Lol!) – wherever we find ourselves on any given moment of the day, we get to encounter the very Person and Presence of Jesus. Even now as you’re reading this, you can stop, close your eyes, breathe in His Presence and simply lavish your love and adoration on Him.
Finding our existence in His Presence, engaging with Him and studying His attributes, renews our perspective on the greatness and the kindness of the Father. Holy Spirit reveals His attributes to us and we begin to value Him with deeper fervency and passion.
Romans 1: 20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
A few of those attributes and qualities are listed here with short descriptions, you can add more to the list (Gracious, Goodness…):
The nature and qualities of God, His extreme, radical goodness, long suffering, joy, kindness, mercy, justice and unconditional love is evident all around us – even in the sound of the dancing leaves (as my son Gabriel calls it) on the trees outside your window. From the brilliance of how our brains operate to the miracle of nature all around us, everything testifies of God’s great faithfulness as He discloses His attributes of mercy, power, light and love.
Even those who do not know Him, have many opportunities to encounter the Presence of God through the created world around us. God’s nature and attributes are impossible to miss. He’s in constant pursuit of mankind. As He displays His character to us, He longs for us to simply trust in Who He is. When we experience His attributes in our personal story, we become more deeply acquainted with Who He is and His faithfulness and goodness become an anchor for our souls.
1. Today, I encourage you to take one aspect or trait of God and focus on being grateful and praising Him by highlighting that specific trait. From that place of honoring Him, choose to receive an increase of that nature of God in your life and apply that particular quality of His, to specific situations you may be facing in this season.
For example, if you’re grieving over a loss or disappointed about something, focus on His relentless kindness and thank Him for displaying His goodness & kindness in that specific area of loss or disappointment. (Or if you need Him as a Defender, thank Him for His Justice…)
Watch for Him & keep your ears ready to hear Him. Throughout the day, stay aware and conscious of His personal ways of lavishing His favor on you & what concerns you. It could be through a song, word or phrase that is incredibly fitting and appropriate to what you’re going through, or it could be a dream in which He speaks of His heart for you.
Stay connected and write down what He reveals to you. It will be faith building as you focus on His nature and express your devotion and worship to Him.
2. The reason we worship God is because _____ ________ ________ _____ _______ ____.
3. Acts 17:24-29 is a powerful passage. Ask Holy Spirit to enlighten you on the meaning of that passage and journal what He shows you.
