Wednesday, March 09, 2005

The "Otherness" of God

"Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please."
Isaiah 46:9-10

There are many verses that proclaim the "Otherness" of God. There are countless MORE verses that describe the characteristics of the "Otherness" of God. What am I thinking when I say the "Otherness of God"?

* There are NONE that compare to Him!
* He ALONE holds all authority and power over EVERYTHING seen and unseen, concrete and abstract, philosophical and simple.
* He is does WHATEVER He pleases, without consulting anyone.
* His acts are based on His PERFECTION and no one can say to Him, "What have you done?"
* He is eternally HAPPY in who He is and what He does.
* He lacks NOTHING.
* He IS!

THAT is what I mean when I say the "Otherness" of God. He is "Other" than anything I have ever seen, tasted, touched or imagined! Now, with that thought, picture the excitement and plea in the following Scripture (emphasis mine):

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touchedTHIS we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us."
1 John 1:1-2

These words were penned by the very BROTHER of the glory of God- Jesus! He SAW the "Otherness" of God with his own eyes. He walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, listened to Jesus and touched Jesus- and now TESTIFIES to us and urges us to know Jesus Christ, the full OTHERNESS of God crammed into flesh and bone!

Can you even begin to fathom this??? I cannot. I am blown away by God's supremacy and sovereignty every time I try to comprehend it. It is NO wonder every need will and MUST bow before God's throne. I'd rather go to my knees in humility and repentance now than to be forced to when I see Him face to face.

Praise be to the Lamb that was slain and to the Father who is like no other!

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