The many different faces of God: who are we devoted to?
Travis Weber and Nathanael Breeden
Staff Writers
“As for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause.”
A bold declaration of faith, Job’s sentiment has become the foundational creed for Christians. After all, to those who choose it, faith calls one to a life of unconditional commitment and loyalty. But in an age defined by definitions, we are forced to ask a simple question to what God was Job devoted?
Was it the God who would never cause us harm, who would never let a loved one die of cancer or a friend be killed in a freak accident? Was it the God who would never allow questions about his existence to enter classroom debates; the one who would make himself known clearly to every person? Is this the God we seek? Clearly this is a God worth living for, worthy of committing our very souls. We want this God, we want to love and serve this God. And so we make this our God.
And then tragedy strikes, questions arise and doubt sneaks its way into what was once impenetrable faith. Surely the God we serve would not allow an 8-year-old girl to die of a debilitating heart condition. He would not give the opportunity for a religion professor to tell us information about biblical authorship contrary to the teachings of our church.
Would he? That’s not the readily understood and simple God whom we know.
Questions. Suspicions. Doubts. They seem to creep into our otherwise peaceful lives. We know and understand our reality, and what ideas can claim truth.
But accidents, advanced learning and even close relationships with diverse peoples can upset our long-held convictions.
Suddenly our God has turned the tables on us. He no longer follows the protocol we established. Like Job, we cry out, “Why do you hide your face, and count me as your enemy?” It is a valid question. It is a question that deserves to be asked.
We’ve felt singled out by God before. We’ve even felt God was working against us, as if we’re the enemy. But this is different. This speaks to our very understanding of who God is, or perhaps, who we’ve made him out to be.
And therein lies the dilemma. Our God will not answer our cries; he will not show us his face. In fact, he seems to count us as his enemy, throwing tragedies and doubts in every direction we turn. Until, that is, we truly turn. And see. And listen.
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?”
He speaks. Him, God Almighty, not the one we’ve created or wished into existence, but the Creator of the universe, who is the same yesterday, today and forever.
We can ask the question. But ultimately, he is who he is. He will answer how he sees fit.
This is God, with no qualifying statements or finite definitions attached.
He is who he is. And he is worthy of our devotion.
“I will question you, and you declare to me.”
09-09-2004