Who Is God

About a month ago, as we were enjoying some great after-dinner conversation with our girls, Ruthie (age 3 1/2) asked me, "Who is God?" It sort of caught me off guard. I mean, we have talked to our girls about the Lord since before they were each born. We have prayed with them daily and read them lots of Bible stories. They have each been active in their Sunday school classes and have what I think is a pretty Christ-centered home life. It was almost like she was asking me who her parents were. How could a child of mine not know who God was?

I just stared at her. My husband stared at me, waiting for me to answer. How should I answer her question? How could I explain something so indescribable? As I fumbled over my words, trying to think of what to say, Charlie broke in and said simply, "Ruthie, in the Bible, Jesus says that if we have seen Him, we have seen God."
Ruthie thought about that for a minute and then said, "Oh, I know Him! He loves me and He's my Friend!"

It really is that simple. If we have seen Jesus, then we have seen God. John 10:30 says, "I and my Father are one." That is the whole reason God sent Jesus to live among us sinners--so we would know His character, His compassion, His concern, His love for us. God wanted us to really know Him. Not as a nebulous, unreachable Maker but as a living, breathing, walking, talking, hugging, holding, teaching, praying Saviour and Friend. We make Jesus so complicated but His love for us is so simple and pure. I was so concerned about Ruthie's image of God, how her little mind would imagine Him, that I had forgotten to look to Jesus. That's all the image she and I and all of us will ever need.

Praise you, Jesus. Thank you for being the very image of God. My Maker in the flesh. Thank you for walking around in this dirty world, touching dirty people like me, making precious jewels out of miry clay. Thank you for showing me God's love. Thank you for Ruthie. Amen.