I sat trying to restrain myself from the bowl of chips and salsa when it happened.

She poked my arm and looked up at me proclaiming, “THIS is a picture of God.”

She was only four then, and proudly held up her crayon drawing– a large squiggly face with two odd-shaped, bulging eyes.

Speechless, for a moment, I thought about the holiness of The Most-High God sitting on the eternal throne and the fact that no one has ever seen Him. I knew the ancient Jews reverently hesitated to even write His name.

Yet, there my little niece sat, smiling from ear to ear; and I believe God must have been smiling too. “Oh, Ann Claire I know God must be so happy that you were thinking enough about Him to draw a picture of Him. I bet you made Him smile.”

She seemed satisfied with my response, but I have thought about her picture for years. I thought about it again as I read Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:12, as he describes the way we see God now as “dimly” but one day it will be “face to face.”

I think we all draw pictures of God.

Some have given Him so little thought; their pictures are quite featureless. Others base their pictures on the few words they heard about Him long ago in a Sunday school class or vacation Bible school. Still others draw their pictures from completely false information. For many, their pictures are just copies of what others have told them their pictures should look like.

But what about you? What does YOUR picture of God look like?

No one has seen Him, yet God’s desire is to reveal Himself to us. How much
thought have you given the God of the Universe, your Creator and the One who
holds eternity in His hands?

Do you desire to know Him? Do you search the Scriptures for the minutest details of His character? Do you only give it much thought in your hard days?

Is He smiling in your picture? Are His arms wide open? Is He far removed from you or are you walking arm and arm, talking about everything like He would want? Do His eyes twinkle with a sense of humor (as when He called Samuel (I Sam 3)?

Is He strong, even fearsome but still approachable? Is He completely loving and all good, yet simultaneously the Righteous Judge?

Does He hold you close even when you don’t understand Him (as Gideon asked in Judges 6:13, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?”)

Is your picture black and white, or full of color and endless, unfathomable detail?

Is He your friend who is closer than a brother?

Even though you have not seen Him, can you exclaim with your heart as Job did, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” (42:5)?

Oh friend, what does your picture of God really look like? Is it based on truth from His Word and revelation of the Holy Spirit; or do you rely only on what you occasionally hear or faint recollections from long ago? Or, do you daily seek to accurately add to your painting? Do you delight in His revelations of Himself?

Do praise songs flood your heart with images you have painted of Him? Oh yes, He is indescribable and our artwork never complete!

The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then, “face to face”. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I am known.” (I Cor 13:12)

Oh, can you imagine? One day we will see God face to face!

Truly, “He is beautiful beyond description, too marvelous for words, too wonderful for comprehension. Like nothing ever seen or heard. Who can grasp His infinite wisdom? Who can fathom the depth of His love? He is beautiful beyond description! Majesty enthroned above!” (Sovereign Grace Music).

Oh Father, may our hearts never grow cold. May we desire to daily know You better. May we pursue YOU through your Word. Help us to rise above the distractions of this life and help us to see You in this day. Open our eyes to your infinite goodness. Help us to praise you more. Oh God, I know my picture of you can never contain your marvelous majesty…yet, I want to see you. You are God with us. Most High Amazing God with me! Let me say in this life “my ears had heard of you, but now my eyes see you.”!

readCorinthians

kimjaggers.com

Originally shared a few years ago.