Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

December 23
Tuesday


INVISIBLE MAN

READ:
John 14:5-20
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Looking unto Jesus, the
author and finisher of
our faith, who for the
joy that was set before
Him endured the cross.
__Hebrews 12:2
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As a boy, I was fascinated by the book The Invisible Man. The main character played an elaborate game of hide-and-seek, staying just out of reach of mere mortals "cursed" with a visible nature. To have a physical presence, he wore clothes and wrapped his face in bandages. When it was time to escape, he simply removed everything and disappeared.

I wonder if we have similar thoughts about our unseen God. We feel He is beyond our reach and express it in song with one of my favorite hymns:
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~Immortal, invisible, God ony wise,~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In light inaccessible~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hid from our eyes.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~Yes, while declaring the wonder of~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~God, the hymn speaks of a God who~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~is not just invisible:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~All praise we would render--O help us to see~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~'Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee!~~~~~~~~~~
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We perceive that God is distant, far off, inaccessible, and hidden. But we need a God who is accessible, and we wonder how to have a meaningful relationship with Him.

We will never fully comprehend what God is like. Yet He Himself is accessible to us. In part, that is why Jesus came-- to "show us the Father" (John 14:8-11) and to bring us close to Him, because "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation" (Col 1:15).

Our God is an invisible God, beyond our limited comprehension. Thankfully, Jesus came to show us how near to us He really is. __Bill Crowder
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God's presence with us is His greatest present to us.

****************Today's Bible Reading __ John 14:5-20************

5 Thomas said to Him
"Lord, we do not know
where You are going, and
how can we know the way?"

6 Jesus said to him, "I am
the way, the truth, and the
life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me.

7 If you had known Me, you
would have known My
Father also; and from now
on you know Him and have
seen Him."

8 Phiilip said to Him, "Lord,
show us the Father, and it is
sufficient for us."

9 Jesus said to him, "Have I
been with you so long, and
yet you have not known Me,
Philip? He who has seen Me
has seen the Father; so how
can you say, 'Show us the
Father'? 10 Do you not
believe that I am in the
Father, and the Father in
Me? The words that I speak
to you I do not speak on My
own authority; but the Father
who dwells in Me does the
works. 11 Believe Me that I
am in the Father and the
Father in Me, or else believe
Me for the sake of the works
themselves. 12 Most
assuredly, I say to you, he
who believes in Me, the
works that I do he will do
also; and greater works than
these he will do, because I
go to My Father.....

15 "If you love Me, keep
My commandments. 16 And
I will pray the Father, and
He will give you another
Helper, that He may abide
with you forever__ 17 the
Spirit of truth, whom the
world cannot receive,
because it neither sees Him
nor knows Him; but you
know Him, for He dwells
with you and will be in you.

18 I will not leave you
orphans; i will come to you.

19 "A little while longer and
the world will see Me no
more, but you will see Me.
Because I live, you will live
also. 20 At that day you will
know that I am in My
Father and you in Me, and I
in you."