Pondering God with My Girls

The other night as Mackenzie and Kaitlann and I were reading the bible, as is our regular routine, there was a reference to Moses on the mountain with God in Exodus 33:20. This reference gave me a chance to remind them of the story of Moses being hidden in the cleft of the rock and God passing by because Moses asked to see His glory.  And, of course, as with most nights, then came the questions from a 7 & 9 year old.  They pondered who big the hand of God might be as he covered Moses.  They wondered what exactly was the "back of God" (hinder parts for you who memorized KJV), and what it looked like.  We didn't really talk about the glory of God and proclaiming his Name before Moses. They didn't ask, and I needed to get them to go to sleep sometime, so I didn't drop it in.  But then they asked about how no man can see the face of God and live.  They thought that was fine, then Mackenzie asked about Jesus. Could Jesus see the face of God (I think the passage we were reading mentioned this too, 2 Peter or 1 John maybe)?  My answer was that Jesus WAS God. She paused for a minute; it was dark (reading by the light of Kindle and iPhone), so I couldn't see her face, but she was thinking.  She asked about the passage we were reading, about God sending His Son or Jesus returning at God's command (again, can't remember, its been several days), and was implying that there was a necessary separation because of the text. "But I thought..."  "But this says..."

We have talked about the trinity before.  And I have done my best to explain it before.  Kaitlann had been lost in the discussion, but Mackenzie was again pondering it. And I didn't, and don't have the answers. Doctrines and thoughts about God like these, remind us that we cannot "explain" God. There are thoughts about God that as the Psalmist said, are too high for us, Psalm 139:6. Paul says it in Romans 11:33. It is good to plum the depths of the person of God. We don't do it enough.  Our thoughts are consumed with earthly things. Our patterns of thinking affect our desires as well. If our "awe" of God was higher, our desire for Him would be higher, and our satisfaction in Him would be fuller, and He would be glorified!

So I guess this is my exhortation to you today, think deep thoughts about Him. Get past the basics. No training required--no seminary degree, no church office, no denominational training, no years of teaching a bible study, just a brain. Fill that thing with scripture, and use it. If fact, the best way to do it is probably in groups of two or three. Search out the One True God in all His beauties and excellences and complexities, and you will be blessed.