God. Father. Dad. Abba. Mother. These are all words that we use in order to talk to God, but there are moments in which these words seem like they don’t do the job. For some weird reason they don’t express who God is to you in that moment. This happened to me a couple of nights ago. I was laying down in bed getting ready to talk to God while I fall to sleep, something that I do all the time, in order to make sure I end my day on a good note. This is especially important when the day has been hard. It was this type of day. I was going through a lot, at work, home, and even at church. In this instance when I laid down to talk to God, there were no words to express who God was to me. In that moment God was more then words, more then thoughts, and more than expressions. God was more.
This made me think about a question that Jesus asked his disciples. In Matthew 16:13-18, we see Jesus ask his disciples a very important question and the response that they give are ones of true faith. Yet the question is one that we as disciples need to ask ourselves and each other daily. The question is “who do you say that I am?” Who do you say God/Jesus is to you today, right now in this moment? Who is Jesus? Maybe this is why we struggle with words, because we forget to try and figure out who God is to us in that moment. Maybe, in that moment, God is more then father, more then mother, more then shelter, or strength. Maybe, just maybe, God is more then words.
So, who is God to you today? For me, this week, God is understanding. God is a friend, who brings about a new way of looking at things, but also sees the side you stand on and is willing to stand there with you. God is rest, silence, and stillness. Even when the world seems to be spinning, God is certainty and hope for a better day. Yet at the same time, God is also so much more. Who is God to you? While the disciples called him Messiah, what do we see him as today? When you walk with God, pray with God, journey with God today, ask yourself this question. Who do I say God is to me in this moment?
~ Pastor Jillian