Are You Encountering God or Admiring Yourself?

Written by Darren Hewer

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Please open your Bible and read Psalm 8.

When you stop and think about the majestic God who created us and meditate on who this God is, does it fill you with an amazed sense of awe? Or, as the title of a famous book says, is your conception of God “too small”?

Nicky Gumbel gives us a pertinent illustration. There once was a child was sitting at the table drawing a picture. Her mother asked her what she was doing. She replied, “I’m drawing a picture of God.” Her mother said, “Don’t be silly, no one knows what God looks like.” The child thought for a moment, and then replied, “Well, they will know by the time I’ve finished!”

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We do this, don’t we? We come up with our own conception of how we think God is. Although we are actually made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), we often want to try to suggest the opposite. We try to remake God in OUR own image. It’s futile, but we try to make God fit into our preconceived notions of how He “should” be.

When we decide what God is like based on our own preconceptions, what we end up with is a “god” that is just like me. We end up with a tame “god”. A “god” that never disagrees with me, never challenges me to excel, never tells me that I’m wrong. But this is also a god who is “too small” … lifeless, powerless, and totally unlike the God we know from the Bible! This tame “god” is not the one who created you and me and the heavens and the Earth.

Even lifelong Christians can become complacent in their ideas about what God is like. I have encountered God, but am I encountering God? God is greater, grander, more amazing than we will ever fully comprehend. R. C. Sproul writes that “People are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God.”

The question is: Are you encountering God or admiring yourself? Have you been seeking to know who God really is? Or have you been admiring yourself in the mirror?

Can you pray along with the Psalmist, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:9, NIV).

Ask Him to show you a small glimpse of His greatness today as you seek to encounter Him.

Questions: Are you encountering God? Have you been seeking to know who God really is? Are you just admiring yourself in the mirror?

About this Author Darren Hewer

Tags: Christians, complacent, darren hewer, disagrees, God, lifeless, majestic, meditate, Nicky Gumbel, powerless

2 Responses to “Are You Encountering God or Admiring Yourself?”

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Trisha says:

December 29, 2009 at 11:44 am

i now know and am understanding more clearer each day this: beleivers serve the MOST powerful Spirit in the whole universe! This God created it. We don’t fully grasp this concept do we? The Word says in Jeremiah that “He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His discretion.” When i tune in to this power (Holy Spirit) i see things and people through a heart of Love instead of the fear i used to. When i surrender ALL of me,(freedom through Jesus Christ) He keeps me forever in the present moment of the day He already planned for me before i was even born according to the scriptures! i need only walk hand and hand with Him. EVERYTHING is for His pleasure and purpose.
Have a Blessed, healthy and properous 2010 everyone!
Kate says:

December 29, 2009 at 5:37 am

I really liked today’s devotional. I know I’ve been guilty of just this. I’ve been a solid Christian for over 25 years, and I think that over time I’ve just relaxed my “fear” of the Lord and become such close friends with Jesus that I have molded Him to be more like me. I need and desire to mold me to be more like Him. The “Him” I find all throughout His Word. Thanks for the reminder.