The Monday of Holy Week: Defining God

An e mail subject jumped out at me this morning. 

“Ian, how do you define God?”

How long have you got?! The e mail was from Sacristy Press trying to sell me a theology book about the early councils of the Church and their debates about faith. It’s a vital question for all of us in Holy Week. 

Some of us met with Sarah our probationer presbyter for her worship development group. We told her she has to be herself leading worship and what she shares of God will be her unique understanding of his love and grace in Jesus, told from her own personal experience. I remember a sermon growing up where you knew the preacher was just reading something. My friend turned to me and said “that sounds very much like William Barclay’s commentary!” There was nothing wrong with using Barclay but don’t pretend you are him! 

How will we define God this week? Well I think we begin with love. Jesus shows us how far in love God is prepared to go. He says despite what you might do I love you anyhow. Anyhow love says destroy me, ignore me, betray me, I love you anyhow. Put me on a cross. I forgive you. Perhaps we define God as a God of new beginnings and grace. Perhaps we define God as a God of surprises. I went to a meditation tonight and I didn’t understand a word of it! The preacher might as well have been defining mud! But compline was lovely and maybe God was and is summed up in the words of this hymn we sung:

We sing the praise of Him who died,
Of Him who died upon the Cross;
The sinner’s hope let men deride,
For this we count the world but loss.

Inscribed upon the Cross we see
In shining letters, God is love!
He bears our sins upon the tree,
He brings us mercy from above.

The Cross: it takes our guilt away;
It holds the fainting spirit up;
It cheers with hope the gloomy day,
And sweetens every bitter cup.

The balm of life, the cure of woe,
The measure and the pledge of love,
The sinner’s refuge here below,
The angels’ theme in heav’n above.

How do you define God? Let me know!