What Is God Truly Like?
God entered a world where many humans longed to be a god. While God entered our world solely to become human, this fact alone should cause amazement and awe. God had it all. In fact, he created it all! Needing nothing and needing no one, and yet he chooses to become one of us. We became his people, and he became our God.
When God did become one of us, his son Jesus became our friend, and by laying down his life Jesus and creation now became best friends forever. Amazing as this sounds, it’s true.
One day after one of his tough ministry walks and discussions Jesus asks his twelve remaining followers if they too will leave him. Peter responds: “Master to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life.” Peter also added a truth from his own beliefs: “You are the holy one of God.” A real declaration of where Peter is in his faith. Peter also knew life is not easy and help is needed to make it through life’s twists and turns!
How can we not bend a knee in thanksgiving and adoration when we think that the God of our universe, who redeems us from our deepest wounds, also saves us from our greatest fears without any hesitation? Only Jesus could be that human and understanding. Indeed, what a friend we have in Jesus. Jesus, like his Father, keeps his word and his time frame is eternal.
Often, we ask: Why is God so ready to bathe us in mercy? We respond because God is about life and not death. He doesn’t want us to perish. Jesus only wants to save us, not condemn us. That’s his modus operandi and that never changes.
Our God lives for tomorrow. Yesterday is finished. Today is tomorrow’s beginning moment. Growth in the spiritual life always points forward.
Jesus came to remind us that the past is over and done! No sense wasting time crying over what’s no longer. God is telling us, okay, you stumbled and fell, now what? Fix it in the time left. Never in the time spent.
Our Baptism summons Christ, who accompanies us, keeps us, and remains at the ready to help and assist in any way possible. Archbishop Hunthausen once shared these encouraging words with his flock: “Our journey is a pilgrimage that has Jesus as both its origin and its destination.”
God works and acts in such quiet, small, and unseen ways to help, so much so that we can easily overlook God’s presence. Yet we must be attentive and remain aware. Saint Francis De Sales describes this companionship well: “Either he will take away our pain or give us the grace to endure.” This one thing is certain: Jesus is never nearer than when we need him the most. Why? Who knows pain better than Jesus? He wants us at such time more than any time to stay faithful.
Suffering is never punishment no matter what we might have done; nor is it given because God doesn’t love you. Rather, ask why would he suffer and go through so much and then hurt us? We should try to live in such a way that if gospels were lost, they could be written by watching us!
It is never too late to become the person Christ wants us to become!
