! The Face of God
Have you ever wondered what God looks like? I remember as a child thinking that God must be very old! He probably had a long white beard and sat on a huge throne. While serving our church as the Children’s Ministries Coordinator, I ran across this lovely poem that kind of puts it into a different perspective…
A Child’s Vision
My child took a crayon
In her little hand
And started to draw
As if by command.
I looked on with pleasure
But couldn’t foresee
What the few simple lines
Were going to be.
“What are you drawing?”
I asked by and by.
“I’m making a picture
of God in the sky.”
“But nobody knows
What God looks like,” I sighed.
“They will when I’m finished.”
She calmly replied.
~~Sherwin Kaufman
Is it that simple?
As I stated in my introduction, I was born and raised in church. But the reality is that just being in church didn’t allow me to “know” God and what He may look like. The Bible tells us in John 4:24 (Amp) “God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” So, although I learned to imitate the worship and praise I saw every time I went to church, there came a time when I realized I needed to know God for myself. I received my Acts 2:38 experience when I was 7 years old. But even that didn’t give me the guarantee of knowing God.
I had to come to a relationship with Him. I can’t really say when it happened. I feel like I have always had a hunger and thirst for knowledge so learning Bible verses was easy. Our home was always filled with the sound of gospel music so I grew up in a “Godly” atmosphere. I still had to find my own way to “MY” relationship with my Creator and Savior.
I have learned to “see” God in so many ways. I have seen Him as a Father. My dad passed when I was only 25. There have been many times I have cried to God and said “Hold me, Jesus!” There is nothing like the love of a Father.
Romans 8:15 (Amp)
“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “Abba! Father!”
Galatians 4:6 (Amp)
And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!”
I see Him as my comforter and my friend. My husband passed away recently and God has been my constant companion. His Word gives me comfort like nothing else can. Being in His presence always makes a bad day better! Does that mean I have to go to church to be in His presence? Not at all! God is everywhere! We can be in His presence anytime, anywhere!
Revelation 1:8 (Amp)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega [the Beginning and the End],” says the Lord God, “Who is [existing forever] and Who was [continually existing in the past] and Who is to come, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all].”
I see God in the beautifully wrinkled face of my 93 year old mother. She is more than the treasured matriarch of our family. She is vibrant, graceful and full of wisdom. She is a prayer warrior! She is truly the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman!
I saw God in the hands of my husband as he held his Bible for his daily devotion. Or in his sweet face as he stomped his foot in worship to his First Love.
I saw God in the hearts of the Hospice nurses as they cared for my sweet husband in his final weeks.
I see God in a perfect rose or in the rainbow that stretches across the sky after a summer rain. I see Him in the smell of freshly cut grass. I see the Glory of God in the Fall foliage of red, yellow and orange. I see God in the hand of a tiny baby clutching on to his mama’s finger or in the sweet sound of that baby’s cry.
Psalm 19:1 (Amp)
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands.
Back to my original question, Is it really so simple?
I think it is! God looks like exactly what you need Him to look like in that moment.
Philippians 4:19 (Amp)
And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
I am reminded of a song we sing in church often. In conclusion, I will give you just a few lines.
My God is more than enough,
He can supply all my needs
He is my El Shaddai,
He always looks out for me
Jehovah Jirah he is my God
Be blessed my friend and allow yourself to “see” God!