Looking for God
Glimpses of the Great I Am
Last week in my advanced grammar class, I explained to my students that to be isn't always a linking verb. We looked at a pair of sentences: I think. Therefore, I am.
“They’re grammatically identical,” I said. “Subject + verb. I am simply means I exist.”
Days later, I’m in church waiting for a renovations discussion to morph into the worship service proper. It’s a new church for my family. We sit in our pew, my husband, Kris, pretending interest in the building plans, our daughter Lulu folding a church bulletin into a paper airplane I fear she’ll sail any second over the people in front of us. Our other daughter, Charlotte, studiously copies into her journal scriptural names for God from an enormous banner covering the front wall.
I follow her gaze upward. Alpha and Omega. The True Vine. Prince of Peace. The Lamb of God. The names compete for attention in color and size and font, some written aslant, some straight up, some vining between other names, still others glittering with sequins. Names in greens and blues all but disappear into the green background. As a woman chatters about the church’s unwelcoming entryway, I squint to decipher a clump of turquoise letters. Suddenly, from behind them, in black capital letters larger than any others on the banner, the sentence from my grammar class leaps out of the jumble of words, as if shouted into the congregation: I AM!
I EXIST! I hear—or translate—in my head. All at once it’s no longer just another name for God—not merely the Great I Am—but an emphatic statement booming forth from the invisible sky beyond banner and wall. I AM! God thunders, or so it seems in that moment. I AM! HERE! NOW! I EXIST, YOU DUMMIES!
I’ve always struggled with God’s invisibility. Why doesn’t he manifest himself more directly? He could’ve chosen to be visible, hearable, touchable, tangibly present. Why didn’t he?
Some part of me argues that he did. Early biblical accounts routinely present God as a physical reality. He brought the animals to Adam and stood by to find out what he’d name them. God walked in the garden in the cool of the day. He performed surgery on Adam to produce Eve. God spoke sternly with his creatures after the Fall. Seeing their laughable attempts to cover themselves, he dressed them, as a child might a doll.
In my reading of Genesis, God clearly walked and talked and existed like any human—at least for certain people like Adam and Eve, Cain, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Hagar. Why has he gone invisible since those days, as many assert? They speak of Moses’ being unable to see God’s face, of God’s being all spirit. Biblical scholars have explained to me that God never really did directly interact with people, even in the earliest times, and that scriptural language that suggests otherwise is merely metaphoric. Being made in his image isn’t about the physical body, they say; it’s about the spirit. But, although I persist in not seeing God, not hearing him how I hear humans, nevertheless I find their explanation hard to believe.
Maybe, part of me argues, God’s always physically present—talking to us, walking with us, ready to seize us up in his arms at every moment. Maybe he’s not invisible at all, but we just have our eyes closed. Maybe we’re still hiding from him, as Adam and Eve did, and thus we’re unable to see him. Perhaps we’re like small children playing peek-a-boo, naively seeking to hide ourselves by covering our own eyes and, as a result, making ourselves blind.
It seemed so, in any case, in that moment at church. As though God were saying, Hey, I exist. I’m here. Right in front of you. Open your eyes!
Blessings,
Posted at 11:07 AM on October 10, 2007.
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What about Jesus? You want to see a physically present God? He sent himself, in his Son. Colossians says: All the fullness of the God dwells in Christ. Christ said, to know the father, know me.
It doesn't get any more present than a bleeding man on a cross.
Posted by: Sarah on October 12, 2007
Patty,
God is still touchable today! You can actually and physically experience His love being poured out to you through the Holy Spirit. He does allow us to experience His manifest presence and voice within our spirit.
Maybe you could shop around for churches that allow the Holy Spirit in as in the days of pentecost.
I have found the loveliness,Holiness, and beauty ofGod and am like a deer panting at the stream of water for Him, as David was.
I found that the denominational churches that don't believe in the operation andgifts of the Holy Spirit lack God's manifest presence. I found a greater and deeper love from God at a nondenominational bible based church. He does want to reveal Himself to us!!
Posted by: laurie gibson on October 12, 2007
Mrs. Kirk, I am such a "fan" of how you digest life in the light of God's word! I was struck by two things in this delight, brief essay. One is the difference between preparing a congregation for worship as opposed to getting ready for church to start--but that's a whole different issue. The other, more to the point, is that the longing of your heart for God to put on a body and show up IS the Lord Jesus. Your longing for "more" is not foreign to even those who knew Jesus face-to-face, so take comfort. "Show us the Father and we will be satisfied," Philip said! And Jesus said, "Ah, Philip", (I'm sure he was tempted to say 'dummy'!) "if you have seen me, you've seen the Father!" So, Patti, your longing is a holy longing that God himself understands. This is a good ache in our souls. Thanks for your thoughts--they help me think and feel and long with you. Robbie
Posted by: Robbie Castleman on October 12, 2007
True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth (Jn 4:23-24 NET).
Jesus stated that God is spirit, He did not say that God is body.
You do not visually see spirit (blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe) as corporeal with a body.
But God did visually manifest Himself through Jesus - God the Son who took on flesh like we'd put on a coat that God might be revealed to mankind. In putting on the coat our nature is not changed, in putting on a body the nature of God (God is Spirit) is not changed. When God is revealed visually, it is God the Son or preincarnate Christ. Otherwise it is anthropomorphic (ascribing human form or attributes to a being or thing not human, esp. to deity so that we might better understand it).
Paul explains that literal anthropomorphism (the belief that God actually is corporeal) is a dangerous and pagan doctrine that we should avoid. He explains what happened in human philosophy and religion: "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles" (Romans 1:21-23).
This web link answers the question Does God Have a Body, far better than I can, and also suggests reading J.I. Packer's wonderful book Knowing God
http://www.gotquestions.org/God-physical-body.html
"I AM" is a remarkably deep name and study of God! It reveals His unchanging nature...He is I AM yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is wonderful to reflect on it!
Posted by: J Brown on October 12, 2007
Laurie dear,
This is clear and simple! Denominational/non-denominational churches don't matter here at all - it is YOU recognising & allowing the I AM presence REVEALED. He is with us always till the end of time. Only believe!!
Posted by: Vicky Assif on October 12, 2007
Dear Friend,
I recently had a physical encounter with God whilst praying with some fellow Christians. I had a strange touch on my arm, not for a second but for some minutes; and a strange noise, which indicated God's works on me. My mouth immediately seized talking, I could not open my eyes nor move my hands, I could not also hear my fellow Christians praying. The ring on my hand started shaking to indicated the presence of a supernatural force.
I believed instantly that God (in three person)was working on me and also wanted me to know that he has never changed.
I pray that God reveals himself to you to uplift your faith in him, as he has done to me.
Posted by: Lizzy on October 18, 2007
I have felt God's presence so strongly recently that it most certainly seemed tangible. God chose not to reveal himself physically because we have to be saved by Faith. Maybe a bad example but, it is what came to me... A Blind person is led by someone they trust, whether it be their parents, friend, etc. they've never seen the blades of grass that they feel between their fingers but they know it is real because they feel it. They trust what their caregiver has told them that it is grass and it is real. We are like blind children, the bible tells us that God is real, and he allows us to feel him. We have to trust and by faith believe that he does exist but, and that he allows us to touch him with our hearts, our prayers and our faith.
Hope this makes sense... I guess I was just rambling...
Jess
Posted by: Jessica on October 24, 2007
Thank you Patty. Since we're never going to understand the mind of God completely on this side of eternity, I welcome any glimpse I can get here and now. We just studied the "I AM" statements in Bible study. Since it comes from His Word it is true. I am going to make index cards and keep them in strategic places for reminders each day of "The Great I Am."
Just imagine for a second Him telling you those statements each day.
Posted by: Lyn on November 12, 2007
Hello Patti,
Thank you for your message on the great 'I AM,
this is a poem, i recently wrote.
I AM
wHO AM i?? I AM who I AM because you created me
I AM woman
I AM Beautiful
I AM precious
I AM intelligent
I AM Playful
I AM prayerfull
I AM Funny
I AM cOMPASSIONATE , I AM mERCIFUL
I AM Blessed I AM Creative
I AM sKILLFULL, I AM Mother, I AM Teacher, I AM cOMFORTER, I AM Writer, I am Speaker, I AM Singer, I AM lOVER, i am many different things to many different people, I was created in God's image.
Who do you say I AM ?? I know I AM God's child . He says so in his WORD so if I AM in him. Then he is in me, I live by his spirit and he teaches me everything i know. It is good to be I AM because he lives in me. I AM loved becuase you love me. I AM everything to you and you are everything to me You are precious to me as I AM to you. Let us be joined together as ONE . Infinite love holds no boundaries.
Take my hand and walk with me into the Eternal Day.
be blessed in Jesus name.!!!!
Posted by: JOLANDA Le Fleur on November 12, 2007
God is real even if we don't see him. But, spiritually we could feel him if you just believe. Every time I read my bible and pray I just feel his presence. When you feel a warm sensation when you're at church or at home. He's with you. He's always telling you here I AM. dON'T BE DISCOURAGED. Be in his presence.
Posted by: Belinda Garcia on November 12, 2007
It took me many years to realise that the spiritual presence I talk to all day long was God & I simply didn't perceive God as other Christians seemed to. It's hard for some of us to see the 'father' metaphor Jesus taught, for example if men have not always been a loving or positive influence in our lives. I can go anywhere now- church, mosque, temple, and especially in nature and feel God's constant presence. Because I permitted myself the relationship with God first, before looking again at the religion I had rejected I prayed every day before I even really knew what it meant. Christianity is a broken religion with so many people leading the members to be hateful or mean of spirit; I have never been inside a church yet which taught Jesus' teachings and nothing else added for money, power or other influence which Jesus told us to reject. But that is what Jesus said would happen, and that we ourselves would have to be discerners: 'I come not to bring peace but a sword'. Not the easy path but the challenge of a living faith born again daily with God. I saw a sign this morning: we see God every day, we just don't know it. But what we see as Jesus said has to be through eyes of light or we corrupt the purity of the holy spirit.
Posted by: Tracy Pace on November 12, 2007
Patty, I read your article by accident. I was looking for the phrase, "Walk with me," that I was sure is in the Bible.
I must tell you about a book of which I am the editor - Code Blue 99 - A Miraculous True Story! It is written by a dear friend, East Indian, who died, traveled to the Gates of Heaven, and met The Lord. He was told it was not his time and must return to earth to accomplish the following: write a best seller truthfully telling of this experience. He was also given five directives for all of us to accomplish to enter into heaven.
It is an amazing book and can be purchased on Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and iUniverse.com (the publisher). You can also order it through bookstores with the ISBN 978-0-595-49572-6.
I am sure if you read this book you will no longer need to "see God's presence" here on earth - you will know that He DOES exist and our time will come for us to meet Him face-to-face.
The author, Sandy Acharjee, is giving all the proceeds to the poor (one of The Lord's directives - "Be good to the poor." Also, his "death" was due to sheer negligence on the part of the doctor, who actually personally apologized to Sandy. Not only did he forgive him, but he also did not file a lawsuit against the doctor or hospital. He could have been a very rich man monetarilly but is rich in so many other ways.
Also, we have been getting some unbelievable testimonials from all over the world, including India and Nigeria. It is bringing so many to God and giving individuals peace in their lives. If you will respond with your e-mail address, I can forward you a copy of these testimonials. You won't believe it!
Thank you for your time, and God bless. Hopefully you will become one of our readers and will be touched by this book as so many are!
Posted by: Marilyn Neale on April 25, 2008
Corrected text:
Patty, I read your article by accident. I was looking for the phrase, "Walk with me," that I was sure is in the Bible.
I must tell you about a book of which I am the editor - Code Blue 99 - A Miraculous True Story! It is written by a dear friend, East Indian, who died, traveled to the Gates of Heaven, and met The Lord. He was told it was not his time and must return to earth to accomplish the following: write a best seller truthfully telling of this experience. He was also given five directives for all of us to accomplish to enter into heaven.
It is an amazing book and can be purchased on Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and iUniverse.com (the publisher). You can also order it through bookstores with the ISBN 978-0-595-49572-6.
I am sure if you read this book you will no longer need to "see God's presence" here on earth - you will know that He DOES exist and our time will come for us to meet Him face-to-face.
The author, Sandy Acharjee, is giving all the proceeds to the poor (one of The Lord's directives - "Be good to the poor"). Also, his "death" was due to sheer negligence on the part of the doctor, who actually personally apologized to Sandy. Not only did he forgive him, but he also did not file a lawsuit against the doctor or hospital. He could have been a very rich man monetarily but is rich in so many other ways.
Also, we have been getting some unbelievable testimonials from all over the world, including India and Nigeria. It is bringing so many to God and giving individuals peace in their lives. If you will respond with your e-mail address, I can forward you a copy of these testimonials. You won't believe it!
Thank you for your time, and God bless. Hopefully you will become one of our readers and will be touched by this book as so many are!
Posted by: Marilyn Neale on April 25, 2008