June 8 | Genesis 1:1-28
- Dave Mann
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Who Is This God?
By Dave Mann
Who is this God? He exists before anything has its being.
Who is this God? By the sheer power of his Word, he brings something into being from nothing.
Who is this God? He causes light to be before he brings the sun, moon, and stars into existence.
Who is this God? He declares all things he created good. Measured by what standard? By his own character.
Who is this God? He creates fish and birds. He blesses them and commands them to be fruitful, to increase, and to fill the seas and the earth.
Who is this God? He creates human beings. He lives in relationship with his creation. He gives these humans the same command as he does to the fish and birds. First, he blesses them and then commands them to be fruitful, to increase, and to fill the earth. And then, there is one more command for humans – to rule the earth.
Who is this God? Consider the mystery placed before us when God says, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness. Is he singular or plural? Back to verses 1-3. God creates. The Spirit of God hovers over the deep. And this God declares his Word, which has creative power. Is he singular or plural? Yes. Stay tuned.
Who is this God? Powerful, creative, good, relational, singular/plural, and more, much more.
Fast forward to where a very similar question emerges with a new slant:
Who is this man?
In Mark 4:35-41, a storm is brewing on the Sea of Galilee with Jesus asleep in the stern of the boat. In the face of the storm, the disciples are afraid. They wake Jesus up. He calms the storm. The focus of the disciples’ fear is transformed. No longer is it caused by the storm but rather by the person of Jesus. The man before whom they stand face to face is clearly more powerful than the storm. They murmur, “Who is this man, that even the wind and the waves obey him?!” (Mark 4:41).
What is your relationship like with God? Do you have him all figured out? Do you think you have all aspects of his nature squared away theologically? You no doubt know the truth that the Scriptures teach he is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient. The Scriptures bear witness to his nature as three-in-one, a holy Trinity. Nonetheless, whatever we understand about God, there is always more to learn. And he will reveal himself to us as we live in relationship with him.
PRAYER
Almighty, All-Knowing, Omni-Present, the holy Triune God, we are already in awe of you. But we do not claim to fully understand all that you are. Allow us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of you, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DAVE MANN
I am a Pastor for Internationals (retired) in the UALC community. I am married to Pam, father of four, and grandfather of seven. Pam and I have lived twenty of our years in other countries including France, Cameroon, Haiti, and Morocco. In retirement, we continue to enjoy writing devotionals, learning languages, and teaching English to internationals.