The Ancient Alien
The Absent Deity
The Chess Master
The Ultimate Source
There are so many ways that we human beings have tried to identify and describe the Supreme Being. Generally we ascribe a singularity to this Supreme Being. We also attribute the origin of all that exists in the material world to this Being. However, we have many disagreements on the characteristics of this being. Is this Supreme Being merciful or vengeful, loving or judgmental?
Language fails us. We can only describe something different in terms of what we already know. All language that describes something new is basically analogy and metaphor based on what we have already experienced. Thus, our ability to identify and describe the Supreme Being is limited. We can only know God in part, so we can only describe God in part. Therefore we have to always allow for qualities and essence beyond our ability to describe. In other words, above all else we have to allow for mystery.
We have a tendency to anthropomorphize God. That is, we want to make God like the human beings we know, with all the conflicting emotions and thought processes. If we act arbitrarily, hate or seek revenge, then so does our Supreme Being. If we have a father who was distant, hateful and arbitrary with his care for us then we tend to think of the Supreme Being the same way. To better our lives, however, we need a God who is better than that.
I believe that the Supreme Being/God has characteristics beyond our abilities to mimic. God’s power and understanding of all existence is beyond what human beings can master. Our lives have beginnings and endings, yet God lives on. Just this basic fact alone requires us to think in terms of the extremes – what was before the beginning and what comes after the ending. We cannot fully comprehend our own beginnings and endings. The Supreme Being understands both extremes.
It is not important that we understand God fully. It is important that God is love and that we bear that image.
Pastor Phil Konz