Week 1: The Nature of God
What a HUGE topic! The nature of God has been discussed and debated for as long as there has been recorded history. So, we’ll add to the discussion here. If you were with us in worship, we talked about 2 Peter 1:3-10 as a starting point. But there is another great place that describes God’s nature and that’s Psalm 139. There David extols God’s amazing power and His nature. So, to get us started with this whole “interactive blog thing”, first read Psalm 139. Second, consider some of the following questions and post your response!
Q: In verses 1-6, what does this say about God’s nature? Is this a comfort or does this make you nervous? Why?
Q: In verses 7-12 what does this tell us about God’s “omnipresence”? In what way is this a good thing and in what way is this a frightening thing?
Q: According to verses 13-16, what does this tell us about God’s purpose for our life? How is this a comfort? Are you living out the “days written out” for you? How do you know this? If you’re uncertain, why? Can you know God’s will for your life? How? What is the significance of ignoring the question? What is the significance of embracing the pursuit?
Q: How do these verses inform our understanding of the sanctity of life from God’s perspective?
Q: What do verses 17-18 inspire in you?
Q: Verses 19-22 are interesting and somewhat odd in a way. In the midst of this beautiful and “comfortable” psalm, David then launches into this somewhat harsh treatment of “the wicked”. What’s this all about? How can we understand this in light of the previous verses?
Q: David ends this psalm with a prayer in verses 23-24. In what way is this significant, especially in light of the preceding verses (v.19-22)? What is needed for us to avoid becoming God’s enemies?
Feel Free to Add Your Thoughts to the Discussion.
I think it is interesting that David begins his prayer using past tense, “O Lord, You have searched me..”, yet at the end of the prayer David asks God in the present to, “Search me, O God, and know my heart..” It’s like David is saying, ‘I’m just going to lay it out before You, because You know that my natural state is wicked, You know all my ‘stuff’, you created me from the dust of the earth, but You love me the same…yet You made me in Your image….who can understand that? Such knowledge of Your goodness is too wonderful for me to wrap my brain around, so bypass my mind, cut to the chase, pierce my heart with Your light.” I see David always seeking God over and over throughout the Psalms to search and reveal the things in his heart, so that he is not blindsided by the deceptiveness of sin…the attitudes, behaviors, thoughts that may threaten to break fellowship with God. Bottom line, isn’t the whole point about character…Romans 5:3-5.
David’s relationship with God was so very precious to him that he could not bare to be separated from it, he had tasted and seen that God is good. David was a warrior on the battle field, he knew he was not above being “taken out” by his opponent at any moment, battling his sinful nature, the thoughts that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God…also, the other opponents, the devil, his opponents on the battle field, out to slay him. He knew he needed God to oversee, to lead him, a light in the dark; God was his “right hand.” Which makes me think of how we use the terminology, “he’s my right hand man” as speaking of an assistant, someone who assists the farmer; a “farm hand”, or “can you give me a hand with that?”, co-pilot another “right hand man.” Only David knew who he was in position to God…God is the pilot, Daivd…the co-pilot. He threw the stone of faith at Goliath because David knew his God was bigger than the largest Philistine who walked the ground that God created. When we are focused on God, determined to seek Him (even to death—death to self), we are then strengthened, preserved, empowered to resist participating in the sins that blindside us…subtle, but deadly, not bringing glory to God…such as gossip (which at the time may not even seem like gossip, it might not be malicious intent, but perhaps breaking confidence with someone, where maybe out of concern for someone else you ask someone else for advise instead of going to God for wisdom and seeking His will in the situation, or venting…griping…I have to ask myself the question, “have I sought God?” I think he can handle my griping…David did it often. I see that is why David knew God so well and worshiped God as He should be…in Spirit and truth…these are the kind of worshipers God seeks. Hmmm….”seeks” as in searching the earth to and fro for a heart that will be devoted to Him or “seeks” as in He seeks the deep crevices of our hearts? Yes and Yes. The footnote says that “You hem me in” means to Keep me under scrutiny. Scrutiny is defined in Websters as 1. A closer examination or watch and 2) a lengthy searching, look… Am I willing? Do I want God to search the deep things of my heart and when they turn up uglier than thought, am I willing to let God perform a “makeover;” fashioning my heart to reveal His glory to a world who does not know Him? May I be so bold as to say… “YES!!!”
Why? Because, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6: 68-9.
v. 13-16 Creating our “inmost being” says to me that God purposed in our hearts to know Him. That even though our sinful nature seperated us the moment Eve bit the apple, He had created the inmost being, because He knows everything; He knew sin would enter the equation, but the inmost being is the inner alarm system, warning me of my spiritual poverty and need for something more…life, whether I choose to respond to His invititation is a matter of my will. God’s nature is patient and His loving kindness allows me to feel the pain of the absence of Him, then His loving kindness leads me to repentance. He redeemed me and is even so good that He bound up my wounds, and turns the bad decisions of my past to bring glory and praise to Him, the new creation being a testimony to others of His power. The “will” for my life? I think of submitting to God is a matter of the will. The significance of ignoring the question? Slumber. I think of an alarm clock going off, the more times snooze is hit, the harder it is to get up. Then when making the choice to finally get up the more groggy the feeling. What about getting tired of hearing the alarm clock, because it is an interruption of sleep, then turn it off? Who hasn’t done that? Am I the only one? Is God’s voice an interruption? A matter of conviction, of which I cannot bear to hear? My sinful nature that says I want to do what I will. What if when I finally wake up, it’s too late? God’s voice is the alarm, tuning Him out long enough, willing in your heart to shut Him off, choosing what is easy, rather than the pursuit, then what? Lukewarm? Cold? Not really caring either way. But He is so gracious that He sends the ambulance, the fire truck, an exterior alarm saying “wake up!” you’re in danger and I love you! That’s God’s grace. I’m a living testimony of that grace.
v. 19-22 In response to “what’s this all about?,” David reveres the LORD his God. He perceives Him correctly, as awesome and beyond understanding, yet Personable. David holds Him in high esteem and the sound of God’s very name is precious to David. I think the thought of taking God’s name in vein, whether through cursing Him or claiming Yahweh as God, but having a heart that is far removed from Him is equally disrespectful.
As a social worker, I work with a specific population of people, many of whom do not understand the power or holiness of God’s name and they curse Him. Does that anger me? Of course! Do I hate them or do I hate the sin? “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” But, I’ve also not become afraid to tell them not to take Christ’s name in vein in front of me. What’s the world to think if we are about serving a God and proclaiming our love for Him, yet not rebuke them for slandering His Name? How are they to ever understand the holiness of who He is or that I don’t just have a fish on my car that reads “Jesus,” to make a “statement,”no, I love Jesus. Hopefully they see that love and if not now, but someday will desire to know more. If someone was being critical of your spouse or your child, wouldn’t that anger you? Would you remain quiet or respond?
Bloodthirsty men…so when the love of God resides in you, you love and abhor what God does, Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish this work.” Jn 4:34 I can see how it would anger David when he see’s people thirst after that of the flesh, the things of this world, seeking after what does not satisfy the thirst of the soul. I had a conversation recently with someone who believes in evolution. She has asked me many questions for months, but she just can’t get past “why can’t I believe in evolution and be a Christian.” She asks all kinds of questions, that in the end, are so trivial, pointless. When the day comes to leave this earth, are you going to debate whether you’re right or you’re Creator’s right? We think we’re so smart, but what I am finding is the more I think I know, the less I know.
v. 23-24 In light of the previous verses, David knows he’s drowning in the same quicksand, born a sinner, looks around and sees he has company, many other’s born into the same curse of sin, but he knows Who to call for help. So, when I’m sinking in quicksand, feeling pretty anxious, what do I do? Do I seek help, call out? Do I want to know and be known by God? David is asking for God to know his heart. Huh? David prayed at the beginning of the psalm, “LORD, you have searched me and you know me.” Yet, at the end, “know my heart, know my anxious thoughts, test me?” Perhaps David knew in his heart that he would stand before Jesus one day and feared the Lord saying to Him, “away from Me you evil doer, I never knew you!” NOW, not tomorrow is the time to purpose in my heart to know Jesus. The thought of Him turning, saying to me, “I never knew you,” when I know full well that He knew me first, wove me together, ordained all my days? Sounds to me like Him saying He doesn’t know me would be because I didn’t take time to know Him.
Who can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus. Who can make me whole again, nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow. No other Fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus. Do I know what areas in my life that God wants to eliminate? Do I know the grip of fear, which, without knowing Christ, causes me to seek after material things, approval from others, drugs, alcohol, or what ever else fills the the wound of my soul? Do I want to surrender and allow Christ to heal the wound with His blood? Or do I think He does not see my pain or even care? Do I think I’ve “out sinned” every body else, “I’m sorry robin, I’m all out of grace?” Have I been waiting so long, crying so long and no answer? Am I angry at God for leaving me here for so long, allowing this aweful heartache? OR am I to proud to beg? Oh, the temptations that threaten us to sing, “aint to proud to beg, sweet Jesus, please don’t leave me Lord, don’t You go!”