Spotlight 3/2017: God’s glory is present in our lives
Who is God? District Apostle Enrique Eduardo Minio from Argentina has one, well, actually several answers to this question. Here is a brief introduction into the nature of God.
God’s glory manifests itself in His nature, something we cannot grasp with our understanding. This is only possible through faith. God reveals it through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10–16).
Let us take a look into our Catechism and summarise the characteristics of God.
He is the One: “I am who I am” (Exodus 3: 14). We do not have any other gods before Him, and our Christian faith is based on that.
He is the Holy One: Holiness is part of God’s nature and refers to the fact that He is majestic, untouchable, and separate from the profane. God’s holiness and His will, which are expressed in His word, sanctify the place where He manifests Himself.
He is the Almighty: Nothing or nobody can restrict His will or His work. There is no difference between His will and His work (Psalm 135: 6). His whole creation is an expression of this. The omnipotence of God incorporates His omniscience (He knows everything) and His omnipresence (He is everywhere). The new creation will also be given to us out of His omnipotence.
He is the Eternal: He has neither beginning nor end. God is the Creator and Lord of time. God defines time in a sovereign manner.
He is the Loving One: He loves us so much that He paved the way to salvation for us so that we may have everlasting life (John 3: 16).
He is the Gracious One: He turns to the sinners and forgives their sins. God’s mercy is a gift for us.
He is the Righteous One: Everything He does is perfect. He does not make mistakes. His grace through Jesus Christ is part of His righteousness.
He is the Perfect One: He requires no change. His perfection can be demonstrated in that there is no difference between His intentions and their execution. The truth in Him is part of His perfection.
Let us ponder how the glory of God manifests itself in our lives. God is not hidden from us, He has chosen us and called us. He made it possible for us to be reborn out of water and Spirit. He gave us a promise and is in the process of preparing us so that it can fulfilled. He protects and blesses us. He speaks to us in every divine service. He turns to us when we talk to Him in our prayers. He wants us to attain the image of Christ and to have eternal fellowship with Him.
That is the nature of God. So how could we ever doubt that the glory of God is manifest in our lives. Let us enjoy each day of our lives under God’s blessing. May our lives be an open gospel so that our neighbour can recognise the glory of God in us!
