Thankful Thursday: Points of View...

So half falling asleep sometime around 11am today, this thought comes to me about how the question of "How God Is" has been a stumbling block to me quite a number of times in the past, and truthfully, sometimes it still comes up and it makes me hyperventilate and is a seed of doubt that tries to turn me away..Thank God now i'm older and wiser and know to turn to Him for shelter from that sort of foolish temptation and so i run to Him and somehow we work it out..

So anyway, back to the way it used to be a problem to me. It would be a problem in the sense that i'd think..okay, if i pin down The Nature of God, i'd know how to BE in a relationship with Him further along the journey. It used to frustrate me to no end that (what i now realize as based on MY mood) one day, He's my buddy and my best friend, and then the next you read something and go...wait, what if i have it all wrong...what if He's all severe and not so down for a laugh..am i being disrespectful? So then this distances comes up because i'm sensing Him as The God That Smites and goes to war and all of that...and each time that switch happened, i'd be mad frustrated and a lot of the time it would leave me in tears and open up the gates of the temptation that is "What if all this is just a great big lie"...and that is a very dangerous precipice to be at...like, don't go there...if you find yourself there, it is a lie..turn, and RUN.

Over time, i think i've gotten better at understanding and handling this, but sometimes the little girl in me is at the forefront and i'm like? God, could you PLEASE just tell me the WAY You are so i know how to be with YOU...

Then you think about it...it's a bit selfish, isn't it? To want God to paint Himself in one colour for you. The God that created everything, that knows everything...to be One way. So...i was asking Him to tell me that He's a fiend, or He's a bunny, basically.

I do believe at some point or the other you have come across those charts that have the names of God. The bible is not only full of just the names of God, but has titles that describe the capacities in which God IS...He is the Father, the Healer, The Protector, the Comforter, in fact..lemme just Google :

Elohay Kedem - God of the Beginning: (Deuteronomy 33:27). Elohay Mishpat - God Of Justice: (Isaiah 30:18). Elohay Selichot - God Of Forgiveness: (Nehemiah 9:17). Elohay Marom - God Of Heights: (Micah 6:6). Elohay Mikarov - God Who Is Near: (Jeremiah 23:23). Elohay Mauzi - God Of My Strength: (Psalm 43:2).Elohay Tehilati - God Of My Praise: (Psalm 109:1). Elohay Yishi - God Of My Salvation: (Psalm 18:46). Elohim Kedoshim - Holy God: (Leviticus 19:2, Joshua 24:19). Elohim Chaiyim - Living God: (Jeremiah 10:10).Elohay Elohim - God Of Gods: (Deuteronomy 10:17). 


 El HaNe'eman - The Faithful God: (Deuteronomy 7:9). El HaGadol - The Great God: (Deuteronomy 10:17). El HaKadosh - The Holy God: (Isaiah 5:16). El Yisrael - The God Of Israel: (Psalm 68:35). El HaShamayim - The God Of The Heavens: (Psalm 136:26). El De'ot - The God Of Knowledge: (1 Samuel 2:3). El Emet - The God Of Truth: (Psalm 31:6). El Yeshuati - The God Of My Salvation: (Isaiah 12:2). El Elyon - The Most High God: (Genesis 14:18). Immanu El - God Is With Us: (Isaiah 7:14). El Olam - The God Of Eternity (Genesis 21:33). El Echad - The One God: (Malachi 2:10). "ELAH" is another name for God, used about 70 times in the Old Testament. Again, when combined with other words, we see different attributes of God. Some examples: Elah Yerush'lem - God of Jerusalem: (Ezra 7:19). Elah Yisrael - God of Israel: (Ezra 5:1). Elah Sh'maya - God of Heaven: (Ezra 7:23). Elah Sh'maya V'Arah - God of Heaven and Earth: (Ezra 5:11). 


And also, I AM. He IS. The way He is, all encompassing.


What it boils down to is this; speaking for myself, i know that there are times when i view God subjectively, based on MY own mood or state of mind at the time. Recognizing this isn't the way to go, i start searching for the Objective God. This is where i make my huge mistake and look for One Way in which He ought to be...and this simply isn't possible or true in any way...God Is. Avoiding the subjective view of God would be to avoid seeing  One of the many Sides to Him simply because it is convenient for you at the time.


As much as i hate drawing parallels between God and man to avoid squeezing Him into human boxes, i have to point out that if we, as humans were asked to give a one word description to ourselves, we won't be able to, because it just wouldn't be true. Based on situations we can be called upon to demonstrate our compassion, at another time, the situation calls for us to be more reserved or even make decisions that seem mean, but have as their motivation The Right Thing.


We can only call upon character traits that we possess. Some have more of one sort than the other and maybe this is what we use when we classify them as "good" or "bad". We cannot use or demonstrate what we don't have within us.


What is true of God is that no matter what side of His nature He has to demonstrate in any situation, we know that it is Right, and Perfect, and is motivated by Good, and by Love. LOL i know how this sounds..even now, if i saw someone else write it, i cannot promise that my eyes wouldn't have rolled..but hey..


What i know is that God loves me...and in those moments where i (finally!) just chill and "be" in His presence, with my mouth sealed shut...i can feel the Love, i can feel His jokes, i can feel Him smile and i;m just overwhelmed by it...so i know that no matter what side of Him i may be seeing or feeling...He is there, and He loves me..above all...that rocks my world.


I am thankful for Life


I am thankful for Love


I am thankful for His presence


I am thankful for His faithfulness....dooooood! can you imagine i'm here? looking at my past history of my walk with Him...it's a big deal...This January i prayed that no matter what, He shouldn't let me go this time...and He is faithful..the joy is indescribable


I am thankful for my family...i really don't need much when i'm with them...yes, love just wraps all around you


I am thankful for laughter...my sisters and i laugh ourselves into hysterics on the daily!


I am thankful for my sisters...they are just awesome...so intelligent, so compassionate, so uber funny, so kind and supportive...:D


I am thankful for food! see the joy i get from cooking eh! and feeding my babiesss :P


I am thankful for my friends...i have some truly amazing ones..especially in moments when i am difficult, and they understand me and my quirks and don't stay mad or upset or take it personal


I am thankful for prayer...for more than just being able to talk, but for being able to listen..and as i recently discovered, feel. Prayer has gone 3D people!


I am thankful for my parents, for my grandparents..


I am thankful for care


I am thankful for thoughtfulness


 am thankful for lessons learned, lessons being learned...


I am thankful for lessons learned through relationships..every friendship, every acquaintanceship sef, leads you somewhere, makes you grow..got a book on this recently too..i know how it has been in my life and can't wait to read it! will get back with a review of it :P


I am thankful for books! and for Condios bookstore in PHC...they always have books that feed the soul..God bless that lady mahn! She's doing a blessed service


I am thankful for Lady P..i am thankful that God placed her in my life because her friendship is awesome! :D


I am thankful for unlikely pairings


I am thankful for signs


I am thankful for Understanding


I am thankful for wisdom


I am thankful for growth


I am thankful for kindness


I am thankful for patience


I am thankful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!