If there was a group of people and they were asked how they imagined God to be, the responses would, more than likely, be extremely varied, mainly because we don’t really know what to think because we just don’t know.  One thing is for sure though, the old man with a long white beard playing the harp while sitting on a cloud, that is not the answer.

The Bible records that we were made in God’s image, but the image wasn’t so much a fleshly body image, it was the ability think a certain way, the way that God thinks.  Which is interesting because we surely wonder, how does God think?

Digressing a little, I remember years ago that a person I had the utmost respect for, who I loved as my own child died in a car accident just days before her 21st birthday.  Up to that point I had not had a treasured (to me) person die, the finality of never seeing her again, never speaking to her again and never being in her presence again just tore me apart and caused an anguish I still cannot comprehend, I was grieved to the heart, as hurt as I think I could bare, it was horrendous.  The reason I say such a thing is because when I think of God that is the most distant image I would have, I cannot imagine The Great Eternal God would grieve over anything, but I would be so wrong and if you think like me, you would be wrong also.

In Genesis 6 we read that it repented the Lord that he made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart, God was overcome with grief so much, that he wished he had not made man.  He was hurting to his heart, anguish was on a mission and there was no escaping it.  Through Adam and Eve’s casualness (not blatant rebellion) we no longer had access to the Tree of Life (our choice) and the first prophecy in the Bible that was addressed to Mankind became reality, the one that everyone of us has to confront, the, ye shall surely die, one.  God who is not restricted by time saw it all, the hurt, the finality, the anguish and everything else associated and he hurt, because we hurt, he hurt in a manner like most of us don’t realise he can, because of the dilemma we are caught in.

God wanted to redeem mankind back into the fulness of what he offers everyone, and chose to form a nation that was called Israel, they could have been a shining light for a lost world, but blew it because like Adam and Eve they also were too casual, and were spiritually blind to the potential of the opportunity they were offered.  And again, we read in the Old Testament, God grieved for Israel whom he loved, offering great advice to them which unfortunately, they basically ignored.

One statement made by God to Israel was spoken by Hosea, where he said “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” and never were truer words spoken.  We seem to be able to accumulate knowledge about things in this life, but the knowledge that God wants us to have, we unwittingly shun.  Even when Jesus was on earth, almost 4000yrs after Adam’s stupidity nothing had really changed and in John 11:35 we read how Jesus (God in the flesh) wept, yes, he literally wept, over the lost state of poor mankind. 

So, Israel weren’t up to the task, no man was worthy to die on behalf of mankind, so it was God or nobody, and because God is God and because he yearns for our well-being as we can’t imagine how, and because he agonises over our lost and blind state, he offered to die for us.  How is that? How absolutely amazing is that, and the offer was accepted in Heaven and he died on our behalf, that we might not be destroyed by the lack of knowledge of eternal matters, that we not be hood-winked by a lost world, that we might identify the vanity of life, the get born, grab as much as we can and then pass on to nothingness, vanity of life.

So, Jesus died, exactly as was very specifically prophesied, and what a death it was, so that anybody, anywhere could be rejuvenated by the same power that raised Jesus from the Dead, he suffered as much as was possible so us mere mortals could partake of the sublime. Let me explain some points:

• He was forsaken by all friends and family, so that God will never forsake us.

• He was falsely accused by the religious and political leaders so that God won’t do that to us.

• He was dumb (Isaiah 53) before his accusers so that we can proclaim these mighty truths.

• He was whipped, in all likelihood 39 times, so I would say shredded would be more accurate, that we could be healed, Physically, mentally and Spiritually.

• He had people cast lots for his raiment, that we might retain the coverings God offers to all, robes of righteousness and zeal for a cloak so that we will never be seen as spiritually naked in God’s sight.

• He was ridiculed by men, so that God never do that to us.

• He was blind-folded that we might see the important things in life.

• His feet were nailed to the cross so that we might understand we can always walk away from things that damage us and can always walk towards things that do us good.

• His hands were nailed to the cross so that we might lay our hands on people so they be blessed, healed and absolutely amazingly that they might receive the Holy Spirit, we can now use ours hands to lift people up into the Truth of this Life.  

• He said he thirsted and they gave him vinegar, so that our insatiable spiritual thirst could be quenched with living water, as spoken of in John 7.  

• He had a crown of thorns thrust into his head, so that our mind might not be captive to the futile ways of the world (see Parable of the seed in Luke 8).

• He was already dead when a Roman soldier thrust a spear into his side, that made blood and water flow out, so that the cleansing blood of Jesus and the living water of the Holy Spirit could not be taken from us.

But we should notice something here, he was dead before he should have died, hence his legs were not broken, as was prophesied.  His last words were spoken, “it is finished,” and then he died, of something that hardly ever enters our mind, a broken heart.

He was put into a tomb of darkness, alone, so that we might come into his glorious light and that we never, ever, be alone again, for all eternity. There is more, but those points are adequate to highlight the wonderful efforts God has gone to so that we do not cause him grief.

What a God, what a friend, what an ally and what a disaster if we let these truths pass us by, I’m sure if you gave your life for another person’s survival, you would at the very least hope they would retain an appreciation of your efforts for them…It’s like the saying, the next best thing to excellence, is retaining the appreciation of it.

What I find astounding about the crucifixion is how Jesus was so forsaken by people who should have done a lot better, where were the multitude who were healed by him, where was Lazarus who only recently had been raised from the dead, where was Peter, who not only saw Jesus walk on water, but actually did himself, where were the disciples, where was Mary who had Jesus conceived in her womb, we don’t know the specific reasons but we do know he was alone, in a time of torment that is beyond our comprehension he was forsaken by everyone in his moment of excessive need, what an indictment on our ability to sort out and then trust our analysing ability, we need help, big-time, in this realm and God is the giver of the help we need. People can fail you, religious institutions and churches can fail you but God cannot fail you. Remember the comforting words spoken by Jesus , where he said, “ask (God) and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened” etc, ask sincerely for assistance from he who is eternal, from he who made the universe and he will not fail you, approach him as he has requested (Acts2:38) and become a benefactor of what the death of Jesus has made available.

The Bible makes it very clear that if you embrace and follow through on the standards of God, the following is made available for your life, and it is just so good.

God promises (Romans 8) that, if he spared not his own Son, how much more will he give us all things, to the point that EVERYTHING works together for good and that nothing can separate us from the AGAPE, unfailing love of God, and that through everything that this world can dump on us we are guaranteed to always be the conqueror, because of the price paid by Jesus Christ.

Ephesians tells us that if you are in Christ (1Cor12:13) ALL the promises of God are yea and amen, you did notice it is ALL, not some….just checking.

In 2Peter we are told we are given exceeding great and precious (seriously) promises, so not just great and precious, but actually better or exceeding that, that is how full-on this newness of life is, that we might be partakers of the divine nature.

So, we all do well to realise, that without any doubt we should grasp (and not let go) that there is an ever-living God who sees us all as precious and that he paid an enormous price so that he can access our life with promises that exceed logic, but are real.  Promises that make everything we get involved in work out for good, promises that even take us through death unscathed and promises that will have our beautiful saviour say to us, “well done, good and faithful servant”.