Women seem to be drawn to love and romance. We desire to be loved and cherished, as well as truly love in return. We invest so much of our time getting to know possible suitors and possible mates, because we may crush on someone we don’t know very well, but rarely love someone we know little about. When we do find a worthy man, we want to know all about him! We delight in telling out friends about all him wonderful characteristics…from the color of his eyes, to his hobbies and profession, to the way he looks at and treats us. When we do fall in love with someone, we want to know that person so deeply and intimately. We delight in the pursuit of knowing our love! We hang on our love’s every word and pour over any letter or card they’ve written because we delight in that person. Each new day seems to find more opportunities to explore, adventure, and know our loved one.
When my hubby and I were dating, I made this small box for him and wrote all of the attributes I saw and love in him on the box. He still keeps this box on his dresser:)
In Christ, we are truly seen, sought after, and loved perfectly. Yet, do we really KNOW this Lover of our soul… do we know the depth of His love, do we really know all about Him and His characteristics, and do we know how to love Him in return? God has given us numerous pages of letters, notes, and descriptions about Himself and His love for us. How much time to we pour over His words? How much do we delight in the pursuit of knowing Him? Can we really love an unknown God? In order for our hearts to follow and delight in Him, we must know Him intimately!
I want to know this Lover of my soul, who created me, knows me so well, died for me, and gave me new life in Him! I want to delight in the One who redeemed me from the pit and rescued me for abundant life with Him!! Let’s pour over all of His written words to us, through Scripture, and get to know the true Lover of our souls!
Join me through this study of God's attributes... and get to know the Lover of our souls!
When getting to know people, we sometimes have false impressions or misconceptions about who they really are? What were your first impressions of your best friend? your spouse? Was there anything you were wrong about? How did you learn that these were false? Often it takes getting to know the true person, before our misconceptions can really be dispelled.
ACTIVITY
Ø Think about yourself; consider all of your qualities, attributes and characteristics.
o Which of these characteristics are more visible to other people; which characteristics are more hidden?
o What characteristics do you aspire to attain?
o What characteristics does the world applaud?
Ø What characteristics are you proud of and of which characteristics are you possibly ashamed? Think about your spouse/best friend; consider all of his or her qualities and characteristics.
o What are the characteristics that you know the best about that person?
o What characteristics do you admire and wish to emulate?
o What characteristics are your favorite; what are your least favorite?
o What are the ways that you have gotten to know these characteristics in your friend?
Ø Think about God; consider all of His attributes and characteristics.
o What are His characteristics that you know the best?
o What attributes of God do you tend to think or talk about; which do you tend to ignore or put on the back burner?
o What are some popular ideas about God’s character?
o What are some misconceptions about who God is?
o What are some ways that we can get to know who God really is?
What are some characteristics YOU believe about God? Where did these develop … from parents, teachers, peers, ministers? I want us to set aside all of our preconceived ideas about who God is, and look at who He says He is throughout His Word.
“If we are to know God at all, it is necessary that He reveal Himself to us”[1]
Why do you think God decided to reveal Himself to us? Do you learn more about God from His revelation in nature or His revelation in Scripture?
· The Bible alone tells us how to understand the testimony about God from nature[2]
· Romans 1 – “they/we exchanged the truth of God for a lie”….we need Scripture
· I pray that God would open our eyes that we would see wonderful things in His word (Psalm 119:18).
· How does our own view of God affect our understanding of God?
· How do we keep from limiting God to our own perspective of Him?
· Can our perceptions of God ever be wrong? If so, how does that affect our lives bringing glory to God?
· How can we know that what we are learning about God is true?
“Even though we cannot know God exhaustively, we can know TRUE things about God…
all that Scripture tells us about God is TRUE”[3]
Join me over the next few weeks/months for a study on the attributes of God.
Main resources include
Systematic Theology, by Wayne Grudem
Attributes of God, by A. W. Pink
Systematic Theology notes from my favorite professor, Dr. Stan Norman
Join me over the next few weeks/months for a study on the attributes of God.
Main resources include
Systematic Theology, by Wayne Grudem
Attributes of God, by A. W. Pink
Systematic Theology notes from my favorite professor, Dr. Stan Norman
[1] Grudem, Systematic Theology, 149.
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