When I was little I thought God was a wise looking old man with a long white beard and wearing a flowing white robe. Over the years my view of God has matured as I came to see him through the bible. A.W. Tower said:

“What comes to mind when we think of God is the most important thing about us.”

 

Why do you think Tozer would say the most important thing about us is what we think about God? After all, what we think about God doesn’t change who he is.

BUT, what we think God about changes us.

 

If you believe God is a myth, you’ll ignore him. If you think he’s a “nice guy in the sky – the man upstairs, maybe you’ll go to him when you run into trouble. But you won’t really get to know him. If you think God is a distant God who isn’t interested in you, you’ve built a wall that keeps you away from him. Maybe you think God is indeed God and you devote a certain part of each week to him in prayer, going to church, giving money etc. But really getting to know God is quite similar to getting to know a good friend. You spend time with them, learn their interests, their ambitions, and come to appreciate who they are.

 

We can learn about God by reading his Word, the bible. After all, that’s how he reveals himself and his plan for mankind. As you meditate on God’s Word you come to know God is a spirit being who lives for eternity. He doesn’t have birthday parties because he has no beginning or end. He is unchangeable. He doesn’t lie. That means his promises are always true. Often we go to God because he is full of power and wisdom. You think Google is pretty impressive? Not when you come to know God on a personal basis. God’s justice is pure because he is holy.

 

Personally, I’m always amazed at God’s compassions which are renewed every-single-day. His mercy is overflowing, his love is unending. He is the perfect model for how we should love one another. (See 1 Corinthians 13:4-13.)

 

Think about how God’s attributes have influenced your life. Maybe you’ll remember when you first received his forgiveness. Perhaps you’ve experienced his mercy and grace in a difficult situation, his comforting peace that replaced your anxiety, his calm assurance that melted your fear. I can trust my best friends because I know their heart. I can depend on them to be true in their counsel and care for me. True also to correct me if I get off base.  I have one friend who always ushers in peace when he walks through the door.  God is like that.

 

The more we know our loving, peace-giving, merciful God, the more we can trust him and depend on him. We can praise God for who he is, not just for what he’s done. We learn to come to him because we enjoy being his presence. We come to seek the Healer, not just the healing.

 

I wonder if there is an area of your life where you are having a hard time trusting God. Or maybe something you’re trying to hide from God. Maybe you keep clinging to old habits of worry, anxiety, fear, feeling of low worth. You’ve turned these over to God many times, but you still keep taking them back and behaving in harmful ways. Isn’t it time to stop those and start acting like God’s Word is true? Frustrated? Tell him and also ask him to draw you close and calm your heart.  Worried and anxious? Tell him about it and come to him, thanking him for his goodness and asking for his peace. Upset with other people? Ask God to see them through his eyes.

 

God wants you to know him and to enjoy his presence. Oh how he enjoys being with you!