{"id":451,"date":"2011-03-31T17:54:53","date_gmt":"2011-03-31T21:54:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=451"},"modified":"2011-03-31T17:54:53","modified_gmt":"2011-03-31T21:54:53","slug":"how-do-you-describe-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/how-do-you-describe-god\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do You Describe God?"},"content":{"rendered":"

None of us has seen God but we can each have our own way of describing our experience of God.\u00a0 Recently, my spiritual director gave me a list of words that people may use to describe God.\u00a0 He asked me to look at the words and ask myself does the word fit my image of God.\u00a0 Three-quarters of the words are positive words and the remainder are words that generally<\/em> have a negative connotation.<\/p>\n

Over the next few weeks, I will pick some of the words and share with you my reflection on how they fit my image of God.\u00a0 I start today with three from the negative list.<\/p>\n

Tyrant – I see a “tyrant’ as a person who uses their power for their own gain.\u00a0 They make rules based on what they want instead of what is right.\u00a0 God certainly makes the rules but he does not make up rules for his own good.\u00a0 God’s rules are good for us.\u00a0 Rules like “You shall not kill” and “You shall not steal” are good for us.\u00a0 God does not use his power for himself.\u00a0 God has nothing to gain for himself.\u00a0 God acts for our <\/em>good.\u00a0 Therefore, God is NOT a tyrant.<\/p>\n

Policeman – I see a “policeman” as a person who enforces<\/em> the law.\u00a0 The police do not make the law.\u00a0 God makes the rules and offers us wisdom and strength to live according to his Law.\u00a0 But God does not exist to enforce the law.\u00a0 God’s desire is for us to love.\u00a0 God’s Law is a tool to help us understand what it means to love.\u00a0 Therefore, God is not a policeman.<\/p>\n

Stern Judge – My first reaction to this description was that God is not a stern judge<\/em>.\u00a0 God is about love and “stern” doesn’t ring of love.\u00a0 As I continued to reflect though, I realized that God certainly the one who passes final judgment and has every right to do so.\u00a0 God can be firm in his judgment as the one who is all-knowing.\u00a0 Yet, I do not see God’s purpose as that of being a “stern judge” for the same reasons I don’t see God as a policeman.\u00a0 God’s goal is not judgment.\u00a0 God’s goal is for us to be with him for eternity.<\/p>\n

Do you see God as a tyrant, policeman, or stern judge?<\/p>\n

Peace,<\/p>\n

Fr. Jeff<\/p>\n

P.S. For more on how we talk about God,\u00a0check out\u00a0my page on “How We Talk About God”.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

None of us has seen God but we can each have our own way of describing our experience of God.\u00a0 Recently, my spiritual director gave me a list of words that people may use to describe God.\u00a0 He asked me to look at the words and ask myself does the word fit my image of …<\/p>\n

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