Yesterday, we mentioned the importance of seeking and recognizing the role and image of God in our lives.

One thing we need to bear in mind is that at different stages of our life, faith, and spiritual growth, God communicates and interacts with us in different roles and images, and this is entirely normal.

Moreover, even the same image may be presented differently in different individuals. This variation is due to the unique circumstances of a particular stage in our lives, tailored to meet our current needs.

For example, when God recognizes the need to strengthen the virtue of trust in us, He desires to interact with us in the image of a Heavenly Father and Creator. If we are in a crisis of self-worth or harbour self-hatred due to our sinful nature, He will console and reassure us in the image of mercy. Conversely, if we are prone to sin and do not fear the Lord, God may use the image or approach of justice and righteousness to guide us. Of course, because relationships are two-way, our ability to see these images of God depends on whether we have any misunderstandings about the various images of God or personal preferences, leading us to selectively accept or reject them.

Additionally, due to our past experiences and personal tendencies, we may also “limit” or, in other words, fixate the image through which God communicates with us.

Because God connects with us in various ways based on our current needs, if we fixate the image of God in our thoughts and hearts, we also limit the ways in which God can connect with us. Ultimately, this amounts to limiting the opportunity for God to speak to us and provide us with timely help.

An example that many might be familiar with illustrates this point. In a flooded village, a devout believer was trapped in his house. He firmly trusted in God and believed that God would save him. He prayed fervently, expecting God to personally come to his rescue. However, he stubbornly believed that God would save him in the form of an angel. Consequently, he missed three opportunities to be rescued by different people. In the end, he was drowned, losing his life in vain, while God helplessly watched on as the three messengers sent to help were rejected by the villager one by one .

Doesn’t this seemingly absurd story depict certain attachments we have to the image of God, which have, at times, led to undesirable conditions in our interaction with God? In the past, the Jews anticipated the Messiah to come in the form of a king to save them. This attachment prevented them from recognizing Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, even though Jesus had performed countless miracles before them. Their blinded hearts could not be opened, leading to a dreadful outcome. They crucified the Messiah on the cross, thus personally forfeiting the opportunity to be saved by Jesus. We must take this as a lesson, not to let Jesus sacrifice Himself in vain for us and not to betray God’s boundless love for us and all the painstaking efforts He is willing to make for us!

Furthermore, we tend to “tailor-make” an image of God that makes us feel comfortable and is non-threatening to us.

We must be vigilant because this self-crafted and one-sided illusion is not the true face of God, nor is it the authentic image that He desires to reveal to us. Such a practice not only disrespects God but is also a form of self-deception. The greatest danger lies in creating a comfort zone for ourselves, a self-imposed illusion that not only deprives us of opportunities for breakthroughs in our spiritual life but also suffocates the space for establishing a correct and intimate relationship with the Lord.

Reflection

Looking back on your past experiences, have you ever made a mistake similar to the villager in the story, missing out on the assistance God offered or misunderstanding God in the process?

In your journey of faith, has the image and role of God in your mind remained unchanged, year after year? Do you think it’s because you subjectively fixate on a particular image of God?

Now, I invite you to seek confirmation from God in your meditation. Have you ever tailored a “comfortable or non-threatening” image of God for yourself? What might be the underlying reasons behind this?

Today’s Prayer

Lord, thank You for the significant revelation and crucial warning You provided me today. It made me realize that the image of You in my heart is a fabrication, something I have constructed and even invented over time to protect myself. This discovery is truly surprising, and I now understand that subconsciously, I have been unwilling to let You enter my life, to guide me, and to transform my selfish behaviour.

I pray for Your help to immediately cease these disrespectful actions towards You and myself. May I no longer be swayed by the influences of the enemy, and may it not affect my genuine and sincere relationship with You.

As I stand before You now, I ask that You reveal Your true image to me. My heart only trusts in You, so please prevent me from straying from Your will and Your love for me!

Fundraising Appeal

The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding God in All Things” team, including FLL staff and volunteers.
Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Project Manager: Michael Lam
Writer: Paul Yeung
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: Bonny Chan
Mandarin Narrator: Rene Ren
Audio Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Fonte Ip, Sander Lee, Arnold Chan
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Friends Only” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Watercolor Lilies” by Aaron Kenny https://youtube.com/@contactkennya