GOD IS (NOT) MY BUDDY – Nov. 22th
November 22, 2012“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! Psalm 33:4
It seems like most people have a very similar tendency. If we are shown an image enough times we begin to accept it as real even when we know it is a caricature. Caricatures are used all the time to help communicate a point. I have seen characteristics exaggerated to highlight what can be overlooked. I have also seen caricatures used to simplify that which is hard to fathom. The problem is when the caricature becomes so engrained that we begin to believe the distortion.
Most of us are familiar with maps of the United States like this one:
What is the largest US state? Most of us know that Alaska is the largest state, followed by Texas. However, I think many people fail to grasp the true size of Alaska. We become so familiar with this common map of the United States that our perception of Alaska is that it is just a little bit bigger than Texas. The reason Alaska has to be shown at the scale it is on the map is in order to get it to fit. This map puts Alaska into scale for us.
Alaska is big. It is really, really big. I mean no offence to my friends in Texas but y’all need to come up with a new slogan.
Our God is like this. God is so big that we have to use caricatures to simplify Him, so that we can explain and understand Him. The scale of God is indescribable. Louie Giglio does a great job in this video, giving us a perspective of the indescribable-ness of God. It is so important to occasionally take our eyes off of our God caricatures and behold the true scale of the Almighty.
This is the Milky Way. Just consider that God made this with the breath of his mouth; our small, little, insignificant, backwater of the Universe that still contains billions of stars just like our own. God not only created that but the entire Universe, with a word. Let that sink in – with a word!
We get so familiar with the caricatures of Jesus holding us, carrying us, comforting us, defending us; all of which are very true and demonstrate wonderful characteristics of our God. However, there is a gigantic scale distortion in those images. We may begin to think that we are on God’s scale if those images are all that we behold. We can default into thinking that our glory is almost as important as God’s glory. It is so very important to take our eyes off our caricature aids and behold the grandeur of our God. Behold the scale of the universe…that is just a word of God Almighty.
How does your glory stack up against that?
PRAYER: Lord, … wow … you truly are awesome. You know that I have a hard time even understanding your grandeur. Thank you for helping me grasp just a small portion of it. Thank you for showing me how absurd it is to worship myself or anything else on this small little planet that you have given us. Lord, give me perspective to live my in awe of you. You are great beyond my understanding. I give you all the praise and glory that I am capable of giving. Amen
A DEVOTED LIFE 
Awesome post! I didn’t know Alaska was our largest state. You really drove home your point with that example. I see this “Buddy God” in the preaching of many false teachers. It is something that greatly concerns me. I’m so glad I discovered your blog. Blessings JD!
Perceptions and egos can easily get out of control when we don’t seek the truth. Beautiful post and I was unaware of how massive Alaska is.
Reblogged this on Special Creation Woman and commented:
This is something we too often forget. I hope you find this article as helpful as I did. Please be sure to thank the author for writing it.
Very sharp, and painful. But excellent. Again.
This sentence was especially one I was needing (and hating) to read: “We can default into thinking that our glory is almost as important as God’s glory.” Thank you for speaking hard truths the rest of us try to just ignore.
Moving right along, although Alaska does have a splendor all its own, I must take exception to your condescending remarks about the perfect state (yep: TEXAS!). I realize it’s not entirely your fault. However, those of us fortunate enough to have been raised in Texas cannot help feeling the full privilege of such a blessed state.
Wow, I never knew it was that big. Really a great way to “see it.”
Talking about Alaska.
Thanks for putting a Like on my Messages from the Music article. That led me to check out this post. It is really beyond our capabilities to comprehend the full and complete nature of God. I like the perspective you presented. It generated some interesting comments, too. I’ll have to check out more of your work.
I am encouraged as I explore the work that my fellow bloggers are doing! May God bless, guide and protect you.
Hey Dennis – thanks for taking the time to check out my blog. I am glad you found it encouraging and I appreciate the encouragement. Keep up the good work on your blog.
God Bless! JD
That’s a great prayer. An amen connects us and we can be in awe together! Blessings
This is something I feel often. He is biiig, so BIG! Our human minds cannot fathom his power or majesty! I am often flabbergasted at the lack of reverence for the Almighty God. Keep up the wonderful work and may God bless you with the desires of your heart!
Nicely done! I think of the size of the universe when in prayer and thanking Him for making me, caring about me, etc. It’s why people not being respectful in the sanctuary bother me: we’re visiting the Creator & Supreme Ruler of the universe. No wonder St. Paul urges us to work out our own salvation with fear & trembling! I think you nailed the problem!
What a great comparison placing Alaska over the rest of the map (and I live in Texas! 😀 ). But the galactic image is closer to how minute we are on this planet – and yet God loves each and every one of us. Too marvelous to wrap my head around. You’ve created a great blog here! I’m glad to meet you.
It is very nice to meet you as well. God really is too marvelous to fully comprehend. God Bless! JD
God tells us He delights in us JD and longs for us to be close to Him and when we suffer we are not alone (see below) I rejoice in His words, does this mean I don’t respect Him or I’m not in awe of Him, of course not. Because God is Love He is wanting our fellowship, He created us for this and also the World for us to enjoy, it was Mankind who messed it up.
Lamentations 3: 33 For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
Isaiah 43:1-3 – Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you I have called you by name you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression you will not be burned up the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.”
Jesus is indeed my Best Friend JD …..
John 15:14-15 Ye are my Friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you Friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.(KJV)
Yes by the empowering of The Holy Spirit we know God’s good will for us and it is very important that we do…..
1 Corinthians 2:9-16 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that Love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with Spiritual. But the Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are Spiritually discerned. But he that is Spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the Mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? but we have the Mind of Christ.
Many Blessings JD for you and your Loved ones at Christmas time and for the New Year and as you seek Jesus to guide you into all Truth may you experience His Love, Peace and Joy in abundance.
“Christ”mas Love from both of us – Anne.
I like how you present this. Somehow, I think there is a balance–awesome God, beyond our imagining and yet He came to earth to become accessible to us. I am re-reading “The Practice of the Presence of God.” (It’s been years). I just want to learn how, like Brother Lawrence, to keep up a running conversation with God
With/In–He is so beyond and yet so near.
Great illustration! I love how Louie put earth into perspective in his Indescribable series!
Thanks for stopping by our blog! Hope to get to know you better ND!
JD not ND-dumb auto correct