The God that Runs

The Westminster Shorter Catechism teaches us that God is "a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth." As a Presbyterian, and really as a Christian, I believe every word of that is true. I believe each word used to describe God herein can easily be Biblically validated. I have no disagreements, major or minor, with this statement.

But, here is a question. Does this statement inspire you to really know this God? Yeah, maybe to a certain extent. But, does it really inspire you? While this is an absolutely accurate description, and a study of it has definite benefit for us as Christians, this is an abstract, somewhat academic, definition. I do not knock us having such a description, and think it has an important place to play in our study of theology - in a definite, systematic way.

However, when we actually get to the biblical text, we get a more solid, concrete, real, tangible, meaningful picture of God. We get this in a million places, and in a million different ways.

Just one example comes from the text our pastor used for his sermon on this past Lord's day. The passage is familiar to us all - the parable of the 'prodigal son.'

When we get to the heart of the matter in this parable, God is not just "a Spirit......." as stated here, but God is a Father who comes out to meet his wayward son while he is still afar off. He not only just comes out to see him, but he runs out to greet him. Out pastor indicated that the word means something along the lines of "races." When we repent and return to God, He races to come greet us.

Not only that, but he dresses us in the finest robes, puts sandles on our calloused feet, gives us his signet ring, hugs us, and then throws us the grandest of parties, killing the fatted calf, and also begs our troubled brother to join Him in the celebration.

This is the God I serve. I have been prodigal son and He has welcomed me back, many times, with a smile, a hug, and a party. I have been the grumpy elder (presbyterian!) brother, and he urged me to join the party. No matter my sin, he beckons me to the party.

God is "a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth" and I praise Him for it.

God is also the God who races to see me when I am still afar off.

I praise Him all the more for that.