Thoughts for the Day

Praise the Lord, you heavenly beings;
praise his glory and power....

The voice of the Lord is heard on the seas;
the glorious God thunders,
and his voice echoes over the ocean.
The voice of the Lord is heard
in all its might and majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
even the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes the mountains of Lebanon jump like calves
and makes Mount Hermon leap like a young bull.

The voice of the Lord makes the lightning flash.
His voice makes the desert shake;
he shakes the desert of Kadesh.
The Lord's voice shakes the oaks
and strips the leaves from the trees...

The Lord rules over the deep waters;
he rules as king forever.
The Lord gives strength to his people
and blesses them with peace.

(Church in Wales Lectionary, Good News Translation)

Thoughts

Can you draw Your image of God? For many years as a Diocesan Religious Education Adviser working with adults who taught in schools, I would quite often run a workshop looking at people's image of God. The idea also appears in a book I wrote around then with the title of 'Calling You'. It was a practical Confirmation Book. Instead of dealing just with gutsy theology I wanted people also to use their everyday experience to look at traditional Confirmation subjects. So instead of teaching them about God, the book starts by asking them 'What is your picture of God?'

It's surprising what pictures will occur. Often God is seen as an old man with a long beard. Sometimes he is a man sitting on a cloud. Other times he looks like some energy or a picture of thunderbolts and lightning. In Psalm 29 today we have a wonderful description of God. He is seen as having a voice, and that voice can break trees and shake deserts. He is also a King who rules over all tings. But rarely did I see a picture of a King. Nor did I see a picture of Jesus.

I wonder, what is your picture of God like?

King of kings and Lord of lords,
creator of our world,
and King of all that You survey,
we praise You for all Your work,
and we bless You for all that You give us.
Help us to look after Your creation,
and as members of Your kingdom
to care for other people.
Amen.