Introduction

God reveals Himself to us in the Bible. If it were not for the Bible, we would not know much about God at all. Perhaps we could work out from the creation that there is a Supreme Intelligence behind everything, behind this universe. Perhaps, like some scientists today, we could see that there must be a purpose for the universe, and specifically a purpose that includes us. However, we could only guess at that purpose and the nature and character of the Deity.

Happily for us, God's nature is such that He has chosen to explain Himself to us. He tells us what He is like and what His Plans for mankind involve, and how much He deeply loves us and cares about us.

Often when God chooses to explain an aspect of His nature to us, it is for the purpose of encouraging, comforting and reassuring us. The trouble is that we may not always understand this dimension of encouragement, because we have a one-sided view of what is involved when God reveals this aspect of Himself to us.

At some time, we may have thought that the main purpose of God explaining some aspect of His nature to us was in order that we recognise that this is what we should be trying to be like. For example, God explains that He is merciful. We thought that He did this in order to show us that we needed to be merciful. What was "lost" on us was that being merciful is simply a part of the way God is and that He has explained this aspect of His nature to us in order to encourage us.

In his book His Image My Image (Scripture Press Foundation (UK) Ltd., 1989) on the topic of "self-esteem" from a Christian perspective, Josh McDowell lists some of the attributes of God's character, and what each of these means to us on an individual level, as His children.

It is very encouraging to read this list of attributes or qualities of God, especially if our previous perspective on the nature of God may have been "flat" or "one-dimensional". God doesn't explain His nature to us in order that we cringe at our own inadequacies and shortcomings, but rather to encourage us and lift us up and help us keep on going. This list is reproduced to give us, in turn, something to be encouraged about.

God is King of the Universe

Psalm 24:8Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! (RSV)

1Chronicles 29:11-12 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. ¹²Both riches and honor come from thee, and thou rulest over all. In thy hand are power and might; and in thy hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. (RSV)

2Chronicles 20:6 and said, "O LORD, God of our fathers, art thou not God in heaven? Dost thou not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In thy hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee. (RSV)

1Timothy 6:13-15 In the presence of God who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, ¹⁴I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; ¹⁵and this will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, (RSV)

Revelation 15:3-4 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and wonderful are thy deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are thy ways, O King of the ages! ⁴Who shall not fear and glorify thy name, O Lord? For thou alone art holy. All nations shall come and worship thee, for thy judgments have been revealed." (RSV)

This means that all circumstances / times are ultimately in His hand. He is in control of our lives.

God is righteous

Psalm 119:137 Righteous art thou, O LORD, and right are thy judgments. (RSV)

This means He cannot sin against us, or sin in any way. The only thing Eloah cannot do is die.

God is just

Deuteronomy 32:4 "The Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is he. (RSV)

This means He will always be fair with us.

God is love

1John 4:8He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. (RSV)

This means He wants to help us get the most out of life.

God is eternal

Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you, and said, Destroy. (RSV)

Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. (RSV)

This means that the Plan He is working out for us is everlasting.

God is all-knowing

2Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show his might in behalf of those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars." (RSV)

Psalm 139:1-6 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me and known me! ²Thou knowest when I sit down and when I rise up; thou discernest my thoughts from afar. ³Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. ⁴Even before a word is on my tongue, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. ⁵Thou dost beset me behind and before, and layest thy hand upon me. ⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. (RSV)

This means that He knows all about us and our situation and how to work it out for good.

God is everywhere

Psalm 139:7-10 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? ⁸If I ascend to heaven, thou art there! If I make my bed in Sheol, thou art there! ⁹If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, ¹⁰even there thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (RSV)

Jeremiah 23:24Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? says the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the LORD. (RSV)

This means that there is nowhere we can go that He won't take care of us.

God is all-powerful

Job 42:2"I know that thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of thine can be thwarted. (RSV)

This means that there is nothing He can't do on our behalf or for us.

God is truth

Psalm 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. (KJV)

Titus 1:2 in hope of eternal life which God, who never lies, promised ages ago (RSV)

This means that He cannot lie to us.

God is unchangeable

Malachi 3:6 "For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. (RSV)

This means that we can depend on Him and what He says.

God is faithful

Romans 3:3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? (RSV)

1Corinthians 1:9God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (RSV)

Exodus 34:6 The LORD passed before him, and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, (RSV)

This means that we can trust Him to do what He promises.

God is holy

Revelation 15:4 Who shall not fear and glorify thy name, O Lord? For thou alone art holy. All nations shall come and worship thee, for thy judgments have been revealed." (RSV)

This means that He will be holy in all His acts towards us.

Conclusion

God is not an ogre. His basic nature is love and concern. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, ever able and, indeed, always vigilant to come to our aid; He: “never slumbers, never sleeps". He loves us with a passion and an intensity we can only dimly perceive. We are the apple of His eye, that is, the pupil of His eye.

Zechariah 2:8 For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: (RSV)

He has "engraved" us on the "palms of His hands". This means that God will never forget us.

Isaiah 49:16 Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. (RSV)

So, we can truly:

….throw the whole weight of [our] anxieties upon him, for [we] are his personal concern (1Pet. 5:7, Phillip’s)

Let us love God, serve Him, and rely on Him.

Hebrews 13:5 He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] (Amplified Bible).

God is:	His Law is:
Perfect … Matthew 5:48	Perfect … Psalm 19:7
Spiritual … John 4:24	Spiritual … Romans 7:14
Love …1John 4:8	Love … Romans 13:10
Everlasting …Genesis 21:33	Everlasting … Psalm 111:7
Righteous … Psalm 145:17	Righteous … Psalm 119:172
Truth … Deuteronomy 32:4	Truth … Psalm 119:142
Holy … Psalm 145:17	Holy … Romans 7:12
Just … Deuteronomy 32: 4	Just … Romans 7:12
Good … Psalm 25:8	Good … Romans 7:12
Light …1John 1:5	Light… Proverbs 6:23

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