What We Think About When We Think About God

In his 1961 book The Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer opens with this statement: "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."

Tozer argues that the church has taken a once-lofty understanding of God Almighty and chiseled away at this definition little by little over the decades, substituting with something "so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy." And the worst part, Tozer continues, is that the church has been tragically unaware of its own shifting definitions.

Your turn: When you think about God, what comes to mind? A word? An image? A sensation? A memory? An emotion? A longing?

We too often forget that our past experiences, human emotions, and confused theologies play a keen role in crafting our definition of God. And invariably our singular definitions are hardly worthy of His grace, love, mercy, and steadfast desire for relationship. 

As you ponder your definition of God, consider this question: "How do I respond when my prayers are not answered?" Your response in those moments likely defines how you respond to others as well.

In other words, the more fully you believe that God has been generous with you, the more generous you will be with those around you. The more fully you believe that God loves you and wants the best for you, the more likely you will be to overlook the foibles of others. If, on the other hand, you believe that God is a miserly giver, you will give grudgingly as well. Do you hear the pattern?

So what comes to mind when you think of God, and what can you do this week to reimagine the erroneous definitions that limit our Almighty God to something too human, too constrained, too small?

Peace to you,

Jennie