Perceiving God

PERCEIVING GOD

I happened to be present when a Canadian and a Russian shared their perceptions about God. They concluded that the English “God” was the same as the Russian “Bog.” However, when they talked about what their gods do, they did not resemble the Creator or the one Jesus proclaimed. Rather, they were individualized and nationalized. In competition, like sports or wars, these two gods were asked to beat up on each other.

This encounter led me back to the age of nine when Hitler took us off Stalin’s hands and began to teach us about “Wooden and Thoren,” the victorious German gods that had defeated the Romans. At that time, Hitler’s gods were taking over Europe and so they beat up on all the other gods. In the end, the other gods eliminated Hitler’s deities. Then there began the strife between the “American God” and the “Russian Bog.” Presently, the western and oriental gods are awakening by the threat of the Muslim God. Even the one Quran like the Bible has many interpreters with differing perceptions what the real God is like. Based on the events that are taking place today, none of the perceptions bring us closer to what the Creator and the Father of Jesus is like.

We are upset when we were told that our gods are dead or they are the creation of our minds. The truth is how could “One” that created the universe and is far greater than a billion telescopes can see, fit into a small human mind or his scientific measurements? We can compare, in a small way, our grasp of God with a thousand blind men that would by touching one spot on an elephant and then give us a description of what they were touching. It is that one spot that appears to be enough when things favor us. When things go against us we become disillusioned about God and even think we are guilty of some indiscretion? In reality, our perceptions of the Creator are childish and irrational.

I believed with those that think the Bible has disclosures and revelations of God. When I set out to find the people that saw God face to face, they left no description. The image that Moses brought back from the mountain could not even conjecture a name. The God that Moses represented was angry over Israel for disobeying His Laws and merciless with all Israel’s enemies. God was perceived as a “Hebrew Deity.” Jesus opened God up to the world! However, Jesus did not tell us more than that God was a loving heavenly Father. The writer to the Hebrews gave us the best analysis. In his opinion, God spoke, not disclosed, His purpose through many agents with Christ being the final one (Hebrews 1:1-2). All of them together do not give us any inkling of God and His immensity. In the opinions of the Psalmist and the Prophet, it is foolish to deny and even to define God (Psalm 14:1; 92:5-6: Isaiah 55:8-9).

Jesus, being the final Word of God to us, has simplified matters by allowing us to personalize and nationalize God provided we live by His Laws. Acts like injustice and wars are the devil’s ways. The Creator God made everything good and He loves His image in spite of what man has done and is doing to himself with the help of Satan (Luke 13:16).