Jesu Juva
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,[a] 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Even though we know that God is Spirit, haven’t you ever developed your own image of Him? Abstract reasoning is an oxymoron to most people. We want at least a glimpse of what we cannot see.
When God lives in our hearts, and as we walk in a deep personal relationship with Him, I believe we can model God’s attributes so that others can see Him in our lives.
Personally, I believe that God is breathtaking. Let’s use His attributes to paint His portrait. Keep reading to see this painting of our majestic God. I think you will agree, it’s a wonderful likeness of our God.
God’s Eyes
Taken from our key passage, we are going to first paint God’s eyes with a wonderfully brilliant blue. Why blue? Because in His eyes we see His chief attribute, love. And His love is deep and mighty like the blue sky and the deepest ocean.
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
God’s love is not our kind of love. His love does not change.
God’s love is totally opposed to anything that would harm our souls. His love models sacrifice. He sacrificed more than any mere man ever has or ever will. He sacrificed Jesus.
God’s love isn’t selfish. God’s love pursues people that hate Him. God’s love doesn’t give up on us when we give up on Him. He is persistent in seeking the lost. Yet He will let you go when you insist.
God’s love forgives, provides, disciplines, unifies, is always the same, demonstrates, cries, laughs, sings, creates, makes promises, keeps promises and infinitely more. Using the words in the list above, do a search on passages that teach these things about God. He really does laugh!
Aren’t His eyes of love beautiful?
God’s Smile
Now let’s paint God’s smile with His next attribute, joy. How about a warm color for His smile. The smile that showed us the joy of His precious Son.
Matthew 17:5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”
God had joy at creation. Genesis 1:31
God has joy in the believers. 1 John 3:1
God has joy when lost sinners repent. Luke 15:24
God’s Spirit
Why don’t we continue painting our portrait with the soft shade of peace.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
The third attribute of our Father is an expression of tenderness for us. He wants us to know peace that passes our ability to understand. Peace in times of sorrow and loss. Peace when repenting of our sin, knowing that even with the lasting sin scars, our souls are still held fast in His arms. Nothing can threaten the Peace of our God when we walk closely with Him.
God’s Hands
The remaining attributes of God are all found in His hands. The color that I chose for God’s hands is the reflection of the emerald rainbow, as it appears in the book of Revelation. It is a full circle, not an arc. It is as an emerald, not multi-colored. And it’s true meaning represents His sovereign glory.
Think about each attribute as they can be demonstrated by touch. Think of God’s hands of Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control.
Patient hands don’t push, pull or greedily grab. They don’t cause harm. Patient hands reach down instead of pulling at or tugging. 2 Peter 3:9
Kind hands brush hair lightly away from a child’s face. They minister tenderly to injuries, and wipe tears. Kind hands don’t balk at filth. They clean filth. God cannot touch filth, so His kindness provided Jesus to be saturated with our filth. Kind hands give. Titus 3:4-6
Hands that offer goodness share the Gospel with lost people. Goodness opens doors to forgiveness and restoration, they never tear, hide, cheat, hit, trick or manipulate. They are peacemakers . Psalm 119:68
Faithful hands belong to a friend. They hold other hands that are lonely or tired. They are always there when needed. Faithful hands disregard their own desires when needed. Faithful hands hold out hope. Faithful hands can be counted on. 2 Timothy 2:13
Gentle hands never shame others by pointing out flaws. Gentle hands don’t hide truth, but they are kind in revealing truth so that healing can take place. Gentle hands tend to the weak. Gentle hands convey love without a single word being spoken. Gentle hands minister. James 3:17
Hands that practice self-control are willing to wait. Hands of self-control allow others to go first. They stay away from harmful desires. They don’t react. Hands of self-control are strong. Romans 9:22
Can’t you just see God a little better now? Don’t you want to show your portrait of God to other people? Well, you can. You can show others the attributes of God by filling your heart with His big heart. Fill your heart with the Fruit of the Spirit.
Modeling the Fruit of the Spirit in all of your words, deeds, motives and thoughts will attract people to the Father. The Father has provided Jesus for their salvation. The Father provided the Holy Spirit for peace, guidance, awareness of sin, awareness of God’s holiness and so much more. That is what we need.
The title of our portrait?
Breathtaking!
Soli DEO Gloria!
Resources
biblegateway.com
gotquestions.org
gqkidz.org
billygraham.net/peacewithgod
Getting the Seed out of the basket and into hungry hearts. Matthew 13 