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Today I’m excited! I get to start introducing you to GOD! This isn’t something I take lightly and isn’t based on my personal opinions. It is based on what the Bible has to say about GOD.
It is also based on what others who have studied the Bible have come up with after studying what it has to say about Him.
The links I have to Scripture can easily show you the context of the passage. The most important thing needed is illumination from God to enlighten us to truth. Only GOD can give us the insight we need to understand truth about Him.
Today’s characteristic of GOD is His self-existance. Other names for this trait? Self-contained, self-sufficient, self-satisfied and in need of nothing! Other words used are solitary and complete in Himself. One way GOD is described is that He is solitary in His excellency.
I plan to use a way of dividing God’s characteristics that was helpful to me. There are others. The terms incommunicable attributes those that are not found in humans and communicable attributes those found to some degree in humans.
Since the list of incommunicable ones are shorter, but probably more foundational to beginning to understand GOD, we’ll start with them. I’ll give you the list now so you can see what is coming the next four weeks. They include:
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photo: GrittyGrace.com
GOD’S self-existence
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GOD’S immutability/changelessness
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GOD’S infinity
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GOD’S unity
What are the ramifications of this attribute?
GOD is totally and completely self-existant and has all the resources He needs available within Himself. There is nothing GOD lacks in any way. He is totally complete. He never has a need. He is never lonely. He never feels “insecure”. He never “barely gets by” either. In His self-existance, everything is excellent! He is GOD!
When I think about what this would be like , it’s nearly impossible to imagine. My life is so full of limitations in resources of every type. Yet GOD has none!
Before any of the world as we know it, was created, the eternal GOD was there. He had perfect fellowship within the Godhead. It has been suggested to me that He created the world out of an overflow of that fellowship…”Let’s share this. It is so wonderful!” I can’t prove it by Scripture, but it is an interesting thought.
Based on this attribute of God, I know it wasn’t, “I need someone with whom to fellowship. I know, I’ll make humans.” Based on our performance on that score, it’s a good thing that wasn’t His purpose in creating us!
One result of GOD’s being self-existent is that creation did not lessen or diminish Him…at all! He had all the resources to create everything…and everything He created was excellent. Yet He still had just as many resources after Creation as He did before! The more we are able to explore and discover the fine details of Creation, the more we see the touch of GOD’s hand!
- DNA just happened? In all its fine detail and potential for infinite diversity?
- All the grand expanse of galaxies that go further and further out with each newly developed piece of equipment that is able to explore?
- How could that have just happened with so many laws of nature that continue to follow in an orderly and predictable way eon after eon? They all stay in place in relative relationship to each other and rarely crash…with the exception of a few smaller pieces of debris…but the sun and all the planets stay in orbit.
It is amazing when you think about it. So He not only created, but maintains the universe and all that is in it! And that is only part of what He does and who He is.
Whether we love and worship Him, despite many sermons and songs to the contrary, it does not cause any gain to Him. He is self-sufficient. He doesn’t “need”. There are times when this pleading, somewhat weak God is presented to us, but that really isn’t the GOD of Scripture.
It is more true that we are the ones who need Him. We rush around like busy ants thinking we are accomplishing something, but in reality, WE are the ones who need HIM! Our need is even more desperate than we realize.
We need to worship. We need to stop and be still. We need to wait and be silent before this GOD, this majestic GOD who is solitary.
- He is not like us.
- He is different.
- He is vast.
- We are dust. And that illustration is even out of proportion!
- As Moses learned, He is the eternal I AM.
The effect this would have on my prayer life alone should be dramatic. As I think about this GOD, with whom I am privileged to have a relationship by virtue of His grace shown to me through Christ.
**Bibliography: See books used in preparing this series in the sidebar in the Amazon carousel. During the series, any new books I use will be added to that carousel. You can click on any book for more details and if you buy any of those books through this site, I will benefit somewhat from the sale.
Related posts:
- LOOKING UP IN 2012: MY GRID…
- 2012 GRITTY GRACE GROWTH ADVENTURE: DO YOU KNOW THE REAL GOD?…
- FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY: OPEN HANDS IN 2012…
- FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY: WHEN SEASONS CHANGE…
- TIMING…
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Ooooo Self-existence. I like the newness of that description. It makes me pause and reflect on a familiar knowledge of him which causes me to see him more clearly today. I sure need that too a I’m feeling do sad today after leaving you, all my Tyler friends and my grand children
glad you stopped by ali. we did love seeing you last week and pray for you this week as you travel to GA for the funeral. Ever since I’ve started reading about this trait, I’ve been thinking about it. My mind keeps traveling and beyond that is where GOD is! WOW!
I am comforted to be reminded of this and how stable and unchanging He is, and I love this: “We need to worship. We need to stop and be still. We need to wait and be silent before this GOD, this majestic GOD who is solitary.” May I run to Him first each and every day. May I stop, and be still and wait. And I am just so profoundly grateful that He chose to reconcile me, and comforted to know He holds ALL things together. Thank you for the reminder!
jacque, it was a reminder I needed for myself. that’s why I decided to do this series! i get so busy looking around me and down. it is only when i get so dejected when things are going poorly that I realize my eyes are focused in the wrong place. i am forgetting who GOD really is. I forget He is GOD, not just a dressed up person! this series is helping me realize just how different He is from me. Sure, I know it in my head. It is getting into my gut now. glad you stopped by:)