Who is Like Our God?

Psalm 113:5  "Who is like the Lord our God, who dwells on high?"


The Psalmist asks this rhetorical question in the midst of a Psalm of praise. We could spend all day searching the Scriptures for statements about who our amazing God is!  That would be a fun Bible study!  This beautiful Book full of the Heart of the Father is intended to communicate HIM to us.  This relationship with an all-knowing, all-powerful and ever present Deity can be simple and overwhelming all at once.

My question is a bit more personal than the Psalmist's, "Who is the God you are serving?"

As we study the Old Covenant it can seem as if God is an angry, wrathful God. We can begin to struggle with who He is in relation to who we are; we empathize with the humans in the stories and wonder where the grace is.  This is a natural reaction; however, we must be cautious to recognize the covenantal differences that we now live in.

The Apostle Paul calls our New Covenant a better Covenant as does the writer of Hebrews.  It is better or superior in so many ways. For the purpose of this discussion, I want to speak only to the nature of our God and how He has purposed to be revealed to His New Covenant people.

The person of God has not changed. James tells us that there is no "variation or shadow of turning" with God. He is not fickle, does not flip-flop. He cannot abide where ungodliness, sin, rebellion or evil is and He responds justly.  (When He is the definition of justice, no one can call Him unjust!)

God has not changed; however, how He relates to humanity has.  Adam was not required to keep the Law that God gave through Moses, neither was Noah. With each of the covenants that God made with humanity there were differences in how He expected mankind to respond to Him.  As you trace these covenants, you discover that our awesome God continues to reveal Himself through each relational shift. These shifts are similar to the differences in parent to child relatings.  My mom's relationship and expectations of me shifted as I grew up.  Making dinner and running laundry were not expected at age 6, but rather at age 12. Beyond the activities (expectations & behavior), our conversation changed- the whole relationship was different!

In the New Covenant, Jesus took ALL the wrath/judgement at the cross. Colossians tells us the wrath of God is for the sons of disobedience; Romans works with that concept as well. The Gospel of John phrases it this way, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36 KJV)

We who are in relationship with Jesus are exempt from the wrath/judgement thereby giving us unfettered access to the Throne of God. Hebrews exhorts us to come boldly into God's presence by the blood of Jesus Christ, by a new and living way. (10:19) 

I can run into God's arms unafraid, trusting that He will not only catch me up in His arms, but He awaits me eagerly!  This is MY God- my Papa, Abba, Daddy....

O how He loves me.  And He loves you!!  Just ask Him- He loves to tell you so.

Metamorphasis

metamorphosis  [Gr.,=transformation], in zoology, term used to describe a form of development from egg to adult in which there is a series of distinct stages. Many insects, amphibians, mollusks, crustaceans, and fishes undergo metamorphosis, which may involve a change in habitat, e.g., from water to land. Metamorphosis is called complete when there is no suggestion of the adult form in the larval stage, e.g., in the transformation from tadpole to frog or from larva to pupa to adult in bees and butterflies. When the successive larval stages resemble the adult (as in the grasshopper and the lobster), metamorphosis is called incomplete. http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Metamorphosis

At a leadership gathering last night, one of the ladies shared about the amazing experience she had on the National Day of Prayer. As she was driving home she encountered hundreds of butterflies all around, this continued for miles and on different roads. What the Lord shared with her is her story to tell; but this sparked a teaching my mother has taught for years.  As I shared this teaching another woman asked if I'd write it down and send it to her- so here we are!

The transformation/change/transfiguration of a butterfly is amazing. A monarch butterfly starts out as an egg, grows into a larvae with 5 stages, creates a cocoon and emerges as this gorgeous butterfly! What a phenomenal change - this metamorphosis!

The Greek term μεταμορφόω, from which we get metamorphosis, is used only 4 times in the New Testament: Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2, Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18. (met-am-or-fo'-o Strongs #G3339)

The Gospels tell us of the Transfiguration of our Lord on the mountain.

(2)And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. (3)And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. (Mark 9:2-3 KJV)

The two Epistles speak of the transformation of the believer.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Rom 12:2 KJV)
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Cor 3:18 KJV)

Before we knew Jesus there was no power for change, not true change. We could altar our behavior, we could fake it, and we could wear masks or play roles. However, true internal life change is only possible through the power of our Lord.

When we said "Yes!" to Jesus, we were taken out of darkness and transfered to the Kingdom of the Son of God's love (Col 1:13). Our salvation is a gift from Almighty God through the blood of our Saviour.

With this miracle working, world forming, life saving power, we can be transformed....wait, let me reword that.  We ARE transformed into a beautiful creature. Past tense - not future tense.

We are no longer grub worms, dirt crawling, bottom feeding scavengering creatures only seeking our own pleasure. We are both transformed and being transformed!  We are changing - metamorphing- from one dimension of GLORY to another dimension of GLORY. (Note: we start with glory.)

Hang on tight- not for survival, but hang on as we change, as we get gooder and gooder things (sorry, bad English), shifting as we access the supernatural into and through the natural.

Let us press upward for the prize spoken of in Philippians 3. Get our gaze off the dirt!! Lift up your heads, hear the voice of your God and King!

I love you, my child. I redeemed you, I have cleansed you. I have made you holy and blameless in my sight. Come, rise up and embrace your Beloved. Walk with me, fly with me, and live in the freedom and power that I have secured for you. I love you.

Grace and Life to you,