A couple weeks ago I looked at three attributes of God: love, goodness, and holiness. They are representative of comparative attributes in which there was some human correspondence.
The focus of this week’s article is to look at four representative absolute attributes of God (those in which there is no human correspondence). God has always been God. Moses wrote: “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Psalm 90:2. Where did God come from? Since God has always been God, there was never a time that he did not exist. While in our human experience everything has a beginning, we should not apply this human understanding to what the Bible teaches about God.
God perfectly knows all things, actual and potential. The Prophet Isaiah wrote: “Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?” Isaiah 40:14.
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The Apostle John expressed the same truth, “For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” 1 John 3:20.
God is everywhere present throughout his creation at the same time. The Prophet Jeremiah,
“"Am I only a God nearby," declares the Lord, "and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the Lord. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:23-24.
In responding to both God’s perfect knowledge and presence, we may harden our hearts to God’s work in our lives, but we cannot hide from him. God is as present here, as he is across any point in the created universe. Our prayers are building relationship, not informing the Lord about something that he did not know. He wants us to express how we are feeling and what we think and would like to see happen. Honesty before God is a very healthy spiritual exercise.
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God has the ability to do everything which is in harmony with his nature and perfection. In encouraging his disciples, “Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."” Matthew 19:26. Isaiah wrote, “ Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” Isaiah 40:28. God created and has ordered the universe. He is upholding it with his power and is intimately involved with it.
While these attributes stretch our understanding, our best response is to worship and serve our Great God.
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