Pictures. We love them, don’t we? Our minds are wired for pictures. One of the great allures of Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and other social media sites is the ability to post photographs. It is fun (and somewhat addicting) to scroll through the current pictures of our grade school friends from yesteryear. Reading text is one thing, but seeing a picture takes it to a new level. The old saying is really true, “A picture as worth a thousand words.”
So, what do you “picture” when you think of God?
What does the Bible say about God? Is He really mean, cruel, and condemning as the devil would have us believe? Certainly not! God is good, loving, gracious, merciful and compassionate. He is the God who is for us not against us. He is the God who wants to help us, not hurt us or condemn us. He is the Father of the prodigal son, the one who runs to us and showers us with kisses and compassion the moment we turn to Him in repentance and faith.
So, what do we do when we miss the mark, succumb to temptation, and sin against God? We quickly come to Him in godly sorrow and confession. We remind ourselves of the truth that He wants to help us in our time of need (Heb. 4:16).
What do do with your distance:
Are you distant from God today? Do you see Him as disgusted and displeased with you? Take down that faulty caricature of God and replace it with the real picture. He is never disgusted with His children. Certainly, He gets displeased with our sinful actions, but not with us. He loves us with an everlasting love. He says to us today, “Come to Me. I am for you. I want to help you. I want to turn your sorrows into joy and get your life back on track with Me.” What an awesome invitation from the King! So, what is your answer to Him?