Who am I? Who is God?

Have you ever asked yourself that age old question... Who am I and what is the meaning of life? I remember asking myself this very question when I was a 20 a year old girl with a yearning for self-discovery. I decided to search for the answer by packing my backpack and heading for a solo journey around Europe determined to find out "who I was". It cost me a plane ticket, and travel expenses, but what I found there was priceless... Instead of finding myself, I found the "real God!" My life's journey and the path to my life destiny had only just begun.

These days we see how the world has generally stereotyped who or what they perceive God to be. You may be familiar with the T.V. portrayal of God as a giant angry man with a long white beard, dressed in a white robe? Or perhaps you’ve viewed some renaissance paintings and ceiling frescoes which illustrate the same. In today’s liberal thinking society people are also confused as to whether God is a he or a she (khaslee), and then there are Atheists who BELIEVE there is no God at all... This is a faith or belief in and of itself!

Unfortunately, these stereotypical examples that bombard our T.V.’s and media have influenced some believer’s understanding of who God truly is. This false imagery may even cause people to believe that God is an angry, vengeful man who throws lightning bolts and brimstones down on people who do not do His bidding. This may be a far-fetched example of who you believe God to be, but the reality is, if everyone knew the REAL GOD, His character and His purpose for His creation, we would see more and more people making every effort to draw closer to Him and have the desire to share their faith with others.

When we willingly search for God ourselves, He unveils our eyes to see God the creator, Father and lover of mankind. We see a God who is reaching out to His beloved creation in order to restore and heal the broken relationship we have caused with Him. His desire is for us to draw near to Him even though we continually push Him away through a life of self-satisfaction and ignorance of Him. James 4:8

To this day I remember the very first time I acknowledged God as the awesome, loving creator and Father He is. Having grown up believing that God is for the most part a disciplinary God who will harm you if you do something bad (I realize now this was to keep me from misbehaving), for the first time as an adult, I witnessed God's presence in His creation and was in awe of Him. As I overlooked the glistening Aegean Sea from a roof-top of a renowned white, blue domed church in Santorini, I gazed over the cliffs overlooking the majestic sea and the magnificently painted blue sky surrounding me with the sunset starting to hide itself behind the perfectly straight horizon… I could not help but acknowledge an intelligent designer and loving creator had made all of this perfection for me! That was the first time I stopped and praised God for His creation, and thanked Him for making me.

So how can we search for God to ultimately get to know Him, and consequently know ourselves?...God has made His presence and love known to us through making a perfect creation Romans 1:20-21 by creating mankind in His own image and likeness Genesis 1:26-27 and by speaking through the Prophets and Apostles in documented history 2 Tim 3:16. This One and Only God has revealed Himself to us in the form of The Holy Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit which Jesus Christ (The Son) first made known to us while He was ministering on earth.

Today, and until Christ’s awaited return, God reveals Himself to us through the Church Sacraments, the Bible and Apostolic teachings and through His Holy Spirit which we receive through baptism. Though He continually avails Himself to us through these different means, we, His creation repeatedly turn our backs on Him and continue to live life own way... Essentially, we want to be our own “gods”.

You may be thinking, “But I do believe in God and I’m a good person.” But the truth as God states first through Isaiah the prophet Isaiah 53:6 and again reiterates and confirms to us through St. Paul is that, “all have sinned, and all fall short of the glory of God”, Romans 3:23. Which means we, mankind are all looked upon as sinners in need of salvation from the just punishment that God has faithfully promised to His rebellious creation from the time the very first sin entered the world. Romans 6:23

This death that Paul speaks of in the last verse above can be seen in this perishing, suffering world around us; from incurable diseases, famine, wars and extinction of forests and animals. Above all, it can be seen in the ultimate death and judgement that awaits every single person… including you and me.

So where do we fit into this equation? If we can see and understand that our created world and we ourselves are dying, how do we go about living? Who are we? And how are we to live a meaningful, purposeful life?

Our post-modern society answers with glamorous distractions and marketing ploys to convince us that our lives are unfulfilled or we are unsuccessful without possessing certain wealth, social standing or a certain image etc. We are unconsciously indoctrinated to view that the meaning of life is about enjoying its pleasures, living to please ourselves and to conform to the liberal minded society in which we live.

But if and when we realize that we are made in God’s image and likeness, for His good and perfect purposes Ephesians 2:10, it is clear that to find our life’s purpose and our individual identity in this world, we must seek our creator; who made us and knows us better than we know ourselves! Jesus says “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me” John14:6. And He also tells us that we will see and know God the Father, through knowing Him (God the Son). John 14:7-11

So, whether you are a male or female, single or married, old or young. God has a purpose for you. Your Heavenly Father has been patiently waiting for you to realize that you need to turn to Him out of your own free will, to receive the forgiveness and love He offers to all who believe in His Son, Jesus Christ.

God wants you to come to Him today and get to know “THE REAL” Him, whether it is for the first time, or whether you are a daughter that wants to re-ignite her faith in her Heavenly Father again.

If you want to learn more about God your creator, and want to know where you stand with Him, save yourself an expensive plane ticket, come to at least one or all of the church ministries, speak to a Priest, read the Bible, and ask God in prayer to open up the true path that will guide you to Him. The Church, The Bible and His Saints prove that God is faithful to His promises. So take that leap of faith, and see God for who He really is. He is waiting for you. Revelation 3:20-22

N.B. For more information about your local Apostolic Church, Church ministries, or if you have any personal questions you’re seeking answers for, please contact me by clicking on the ‘contact me’ button on this page and I will do my best to provide you with the information you need or refer you to people who can help.

This week’s song: Who am I – Casting Crowns