What is your image of God?

One day I was thinking, what kind of image do I have of God? The result of my own thought startled me! The picture that I had was that of a revengeful God, who was nitpicking on every sin that I had committed and was eagerly waiting to punish me. I thought, can it be true that a God who says that He loves us immensely become a revengeful God? How can he say that, He came to die for us and that too for our sin if He was a revengeful God? The thoughts were bewildering but I wanted to know the truth.

Many times our world views and thoughts are created and established by the things that we see around us. If a person was taught that all men are liars or vice versa, he or she would grow up thinking that it is the truth. Haven’t we found something like this in us or in our friends? But compare it with truth and check, is it true? I believe the answer would be No! Even in the case of God we have many preconceptions about God that He is that and this. He is a revengeful God, he is the cause of all evil and he is not concerned about the lives of mere human. We even can add more to this list. Today I was reading the Book of Job in the Bible. The first chapter says that Job was blessed and was the richest than any one at his time. “He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.” (Job 1:3)  When we read further we find that all these blessings and possessions are destroyed in seconds. (Job 1: 13-19) In the next chapter we find that even his health is affected. Still, the image of God for Job doesn’t change. He never curses God and says anything bad about him. Now, compare Job with ourselves and try to answer this question – What is our image of God? Do we say that God is good all the time? Or is it when everything around us goes nice and good? What was our response to God when trying situations came?

Can God become bad when we have to go through trying times? Can he become the propagator of evil, when he defines himself as love? One thing that I have learned in my life is that hard times make us stronger. It prepares us to push hard when we have to face the next challenge. It is not because God is a revengeful God that He takes us through hard times, not even because he wants us to suffer. It is just because God wants us to be stronger. He still loves us as He loved us before. So the next time that you feel like cursing God or you want to trade the true image of God for a untrue one, remember, no matter what you do, God will be the same!  He is still the loving God who died for you!  

For a time such as this!

Have you experienced frustration in your life when you are placed in a specific place and you are clueless and saying “why am I here?” I have gone through many days like this; asking myself “what am I doing here? What is the purpose behind all this? 

Today morning I was reading the book of Esther, it portrays the story of a lowly young lady taken to the king’s palace and being crowned the queen of the empire. Esther was someone like you and me, someone who in the world’s eyes was insignificant. Carrying on the daily routines of life and being happy with what she was. Everything changed for Esther when one day the king declared that he is looking out for a queen. There was an enormous talent search and the most beautiful and intelligent girls from around the empire was brought to the palace and trained. From this group of young girls, Esther was chosen as the queen of the land. At the same time there was another man on the rise, Haman who wanted to annihilate the Jews of the land. Mordecai, uncle of Esther, who knew of this threat against his people tells Esther “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14) the reason why Esther was raised from her lowly standards to the status of being queen of King Xerxes empire was to save an entire nation from being wiped off. Esther’s purpose at that time was to be used as God’s vessel to bring redemption for the people of Israel.

Just like Esther we are kept in different places for such a time as this. Meaning if we are placed in a particular place, we are kept by God to do something. If we are silent, we might lose something that is precious to us. So what do we need to do? Today God is asking us to take a look around, see what is happening. Do something about it! If we see failing family, you might be the one God has appointed to bring redemption to them. If we see immorality on the rise, in your society, place of work or in nation. You are placed by God to bring the hope of God in that place. If you see a church that is going to break, you are placed by God to keep that Church united. The nation that you are in is the place where God has appointed you for a time such as this. If you do not find peace where you are then you are placed to usher in peace.  Look around see the need and do something! You are placed for such a time as this!