The Image that Most Closely Capture Understanding of God - Essay Example

Audrey L. Fleming January 2, Skim the Bible for images of God. Which images most closely capture your understanding of God? Why? Which images challenge your understanding of God? Why? The image that most closely capture my understanding of God is the figure of Jesus, as God in human form. God is Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Sovereign King, Holy and Righteous Judge, Beautiful Savior, and Creator of the Universe (Hopkins, 2012) but it is very hard to imagine these concepts unless in the likeness of a human being.  Jesus being in human form captures my image and understanding because He is wise in his words, actions, and thoughts, He is the Messiah and that’s why He is God. We will never be able to fully comprehend the extent of Jesus knowledge for it is far too great. It is beyond anything we can conceivably imagine and so it is hard to convey. I do also have another image of God in mind which is more like the God of the Old Testament. I think of God as solid entity, like the rock in the following description: “O come, let us sing to the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1 KJV). This image emphases the strength and stability of His nature and it is a comforting presence in a world which is so full of changes. The most valuable image of God to me in my pastoral role is however that of the loving heavenly father. This comes mainly from the Lord’s prayer which is used in services and in many situations where Christians come together for support and fellowship. One aspect of fatherly image is his wisdom: the Old Testament uses the word "wisdom" to refer to any educated discipline or skillful performance (Ascough & Cotton, 2006). Wisdom is more than this, however, since it is not theoretical but realistic. The Almighty, All-powerful, Creator and Lord of all, Our God - He is wisdom and He is where our wisdom comes from.  True wisdom comes from being tuned in to God, the Holy Spirit, within each of us.  Wisdom is both the ability to discern what is best and the strength of character to act upon that knowledge.  Being a know-it-all is not a sign of wisdom.  Nobody knows it all.  Only God does. He is wisdom, He knows whats best and above all, He wants to be glorified. True wisdom is ours for the taking.  God does not bless some of us with more wisdom than others.  Along with his wisdom comes also forgiveness, and this is something that makes sense to me when I see fathers and children in my own congregation. Jesus said “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask for bread, will he give him a stone” (Matt 7:8-10 KJV). The image of a father is a good one because it shows us how God interacts with his people, and it implies an endless source of love and forgiveness. The bread in this saying represents both earthly nourishment and spiritual teaching, and this illustrates the physical and spiritual care that we can expect from the Father God. The images of God as Jesus and as the Heavenly Father are both male, which is how the Church traditionally envisages the divine image. I think of God also in terms of abstract love and gentleness, however, especially when considering the healing that Jesus did while preaching and teaching. His consideration for women and children shows that God’s love is for all people regardless of age or sex. I imagine God as a formless and protective covering over those who are poor, weak or in need of encouragement. Our dignity is originated from God because we are made in His image (Ashbaucher, 2011). Our worth originated because we are called by Jesus to be world changers to demonstrate God’s love. We are filled with the Holy Spirit who gives us the power, strength and ability to receive the insults of others and respond as Christ responded to those who flung insults at Him, for example by turning the other cheek instead of hitting back out of a desire for revenge (Matthew 2:39 KJV). The Holy Spirit is traditionally depicted in the form of a dove, and this is a good image for God which emphasizes his gentleness towards us. Black athletes in professional sports who broke the racial barrier understood this all too well. Jackie Robinson who was the first African-American to play major league baseball knew that he would face insult after insult because of the color of his skin. For those who threw insults in the direction of Jackie Robinson were intended to humiliate and provoke an even more violent response. However, Jackie demonstrated a quiet dignity that came from within that changed the world and broke the racial barrier. The image of the dove is also used by many organizations as a symbol of peace, and this example shows that peace can be a strong and difficult choice, but it allows a person to rise above conflict like a dove, and bear witness to the gentle but strong power of divine love. It is no different for Christians. When we respond to insults or any kind of cruelty, we acknowledge to the world that Christianity is pretense and a put-on. But when we respond in dignity, drawing on the power of Christ, we exacerbates response of respect and inspire the unsaved the yearning to learn more about Jesus. I think the humility of Jesus, as for example is shown by his hanging his head on the cross and accepting the crucifixion, is a particularly strong image. As the Son of God, he submitted to that humiliation and pain, even despite his divine nature. Some Christians say that “turning the other cheek is not impossible but can be difficult to do”. However, when we do, we must respond with the gentle dignity of Jesus, and then we bring glory to Him. What associations can you make between your images of God and your pastoral identity? What are some of the connections between your pastoral image and your God images? What are some of the disconnects? How does your image of God shape your pastoral identity positively? Negatively? The association that I can make between my image of God and my pastoral identity. I make some connections between the parables that Jesus told and my pastoral image. I do see myself following the example of the Old Testament wisdom-related image of God and I use this as a model for the pastoral counseling that I do. But I also try to keep in mind the image of God as a father, and the Holy Spirit as a bringer of peace. The counseling work that I do often consists in identifying and integrating two distinct sets of pastoral counseling goals. Sometimes people have multiple goals (in the sense of desired outcomes) when they come for counseling, and so the target for achieving progress is not immediately obvious at the start. The end point or goal must be selected from the perspective of the person seeking care, in consultation with the pastoral caregiver, as they emerge from the counselee’s felt needs, hopes, and resources (Ashbaucher, 2011).   I do not see myself as simply giving out wisdom, nor just offering love and support. I see myself helping people to navigate their way through troubled times and confused objectives, and sometimes helping them to decide which situations they will accept and learn to live with, and which situations they will seek to change. It is more of a partnership and though I draw on my image of God I do not model myself wholly on him.  One difference between the divine model of teacher and my experience in pastoral work is that I am fallible and human and I must also seek wisdom about goals for their work as I offer guidance the counseling process. More importantly, Christian pastoral counselors must seek to honor their call to mediate divine grace and wisdom as representatives of the caring church and the healing Christ, regardless of the nature of the care seekers’ spirituality and (religious or nonreligious) faith. Another helpful image of God in this respect is the concept of the shepherd which is found in Psalm 23. I often identify with this image of God because I feel I have to round people up and lead the way, and sometimes I do lose track of people and have to go looking for them when they do not attend events where they have been expected. The care of the shepherd for his sheep is very much an image God that shapes my pastoral identity positively. I prepare for this by aiming to grow in wisdom which always entails discerning and choosing wisely, as well as learning to act and to relate to other people wisely in a consistent manner (Ashbaucher, 2011). Wisdom in the light of God thus supplies a guiding principle but the master metaphor for me in a pastoral role is that of the shepherd because this shows how wisdom is combined with love and turned into action on behalf of god’s people. By Grace and Wisdom, the experience of interfaith counseling, for example, has sustained a therapeutic love for a stranger with whom I partnered, and this contributes to restoring their soul as well as teaching me more about the nature of God and my place in his church.  My images of God that shape my pastoral identity negatively include the aspect of extreme forgiveness and being too humble. I find this hard to imitate because I am so keen to do God’s work and help people, and I am impatient when people deliberately try to block the message of the gospel or lead people astray. I understand perfectly why the image of God in the New Testament is centered on forgiving, and in fact I have seen how powerful this image of the Savior who redeems sinners and sets them free can be. In dealing with offenders who repeatedly commit crimes and have turned to a criminal lifestyle, this forgiveness can offer the new start that they need. It can bring back self-esteem to people who have learned to see themselves as failures and outcasts. From my own perspective, however, there is a place for the criminal justice system to be used to teach people the difference between right and wrong. Forgiveness can only be effective if people understand their sin and repent of it. During my pastoral activities and missions, I do come across different types of offenses, some of which are repetitive and the persons committing these crimes have developed a wild behavior. With all efforts of trying to rectify the behavior bearing no fruits, then corrective measures should be taken to straighten the behavior of such persons. In this case, others would just commit crimes or offenses intentionally. I find it difficult to draw the line between situations where forgiveness is effective, where it is seen as a weak response which only encourages more crime. Ultimately God is the judge of people, and in the meantime it is my job as pastor to teach people about right, and wrong, and about sin and forgiveness in a way that makes it clear how serious these concepts are. The other aspect based of the image of God that negatively affects my pastoral life is being too humble as Matthew (5:39 KJV) says:  “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”  My pastoral life is built on the belief of the bible. I clearly understand that being humble to such an extent would lead to some people stepping on your rights. Even when Jesus Christ was crucified, he had the power to outdo his enemies but he was humble and did not take revenge. Despite the fact that it was the plan of God that Jesus Christ died on the cross, he portrayed extreme humbleness through perseverance, the pain and agony. He led the way that Christians should persevere during hard times and when faced with difficulty circumstances even if one if falsely accused. This negatively affects my pastoral ministry based on the fact that perseverance to such an extent hardly applies to the normal life and sometimes it requires one to think of alternative measures in order to save oneself from the situation. After all, Jesus was the Son Of God and had greater ability to pass through different difficulties. As mere human beings we have to rely on prayer and wisdom to deal with evil in the world, and often it will not be easy to turn the other cheek. How do you imagine that God sees or experiences you? How does what you imagine correlate with images of your pastoral identity? Do they match up? If they do not, what concrete changes in thinking and practice might you consider in order to bring these two images into closer alignment? From my perspective, God is able to see me and everything I do as well as others because He sees everything that everyone does irrespective of the secret things that many persons hold. Hebrews, (4:13 KJV) says that “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” This simply implies that God understands, sees and feels the presence of every creature in the entire universe. Further, Psalms, (33:13 KJV) says that “The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.” In other words, he is in a position to see everything that humans do either in secret or in the open. Moreover, the Bible quotes the characteristics and the images of God as Omnipresent, meaning that He is everywhere thus sees as well as comprehends everything that every person does regardless of their geographical distance or the place they reside (González, 2005). Based on the strong belief that I hold, I acknowledge the fact that God is always watching over me, in good times or when I am going through difficulties. Further, through my pastoral faith and the supposition that I hold on to, is knowing that God hears and answers the prayers of his people and therefore, he is able to determine my presence through my prayers as the key communication with him. Everything that a person does is not unnoticed by God since His sight is always present of the deeds of everyone. This insight sometimes causes me a little sadness because I realize that even though I do work hard and try to follow my calling to serve God well, there are times when I do not act in the best possible way. I fail when I should be succeeding, and this reminds me that I am a poor imitation of the Good Shepherd Himself. The things that go wrong remind me that my role is in some ways impossible for humans, since we can only ever achieve a tiny part of the task that is before us. The other essential image of character of God that proves his presence and recognition of everyone is omnipotence thus implying that no one can hide anything from Him irrespective of the high level of secrecy upheld in doing the action. If He was only considered as omnipresent but not omnipotent, this would have an implication that He might be everywhere but fails to notice everything that we do. This simply indicates the ability of God to understand the needs and wants of everyone no matter how different and numerous they may seem to be since I understand that he is present in all of our lives. There is sometimes a disconnect in my pastoral work when I see a situation that I know God can help with, and yet there does not seem to be any action from Him. I think this may be because he works in ways that humans may not expect or may not understand. This kind of experience is a constant reminder to me that the images we hold of God are just that: images that capture one or two aspects of His nature, but not full representations of what He is. I believe that God sees me as a worker in his harvest, and a follower who tries hard but does not always succeed. My belief based on how God experiences or sees me correlates with my pastoral identity in everything I do because I know that God is watching and thus I am driven by this belief in doing what is right before the eyes of the Lord. I am driven by the goodwill and everything I do which is based on the audacity that God is watching. Kindness, humility, forgiveness as well as helping the others are some of my characteristics that have tremendously grown from the faith and belief I hold based on the presence and the monitoring of God in my life. Further, I maintain in hard times during my pastoral life based on the belief that God is watching me, protecting me everywhere I go and in everything I do since he is omnipresent and sees everything from above. He will never let me suffer beyond my strength of perseverance and always allows challenges that I can be able to maneuver, not those beyond my faith or spiritual perseverance. If the Lord is watching me always, then the implication of this belief is that I have maximum protection from Him. All of my actions, I am held responsible or accountable for and no action will pass without God’s judgment since he has a clear track record of whatever each of us does. Moreover, through many experiences I have had throughout my pastoral life, I figured out that as humans, we do things that are opposed to the laws and commandments of God without understanding whether we are on the wrong path. We also do things which we think they are of little good but they are greatly significant and good before the eyes of the Lord. These two aspects, my pastoral image and my belief or imagination about the presence of God match based on the fact that the belief or faith I hold about how Christ sees or experiences me brings about the characteristics or images I possess in my pastoral identity. I now do everything based on the knowledge that the Lord is watching and I will definitely be accountable of my deeds as a pastor. The obligations of a pastor include guiding and teaching people the right way to follow as per the requirements of God’s command and failure to accomplish the mission as required will lead to dreadful repercussions since God is watching everything that his children do on earth and counts each as responsible for their right or wrong deeds. Therefore, the fact that God is everywhere, watching everything I do clearly connect me to my pastoral identity and shapes me towards performing the obligations I am delegated in the right way without taking sides or delay. I believe that in His wisdom God teaches me, in His eternal rock-like steadfastness he supports me, in His fatherly love he protects me and as a shepherd He guides me. He is also a protective cover of love over the church, and in the form of the Holy Spirit He brings peace to a broken world, urging us to be meek and humble rather than vengeful and angry against people who do wrong. These images together sustain me in my work and keep me motivated in my pastoral role. REFERENCES Dombkowski Hopkins D., Koppel M. S. (2010). Grounded in the Living Word “The Old Testament and Pastoral Care Practices”. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Dykstra, R.C. (2005).Images of Pastoral Care: Classic Readings. London: Chalice Press Hopkins, E. C. (2012). Scientific Christian Mental Practice. Altenmünster: Jazzybee Verlag. González, J. L. (2005). Essential theological terms. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press. Ascough, R. S., & Cotton, C. A. (2006). Passionate visionary: Leadership lessons from the Apostle Paul. Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson Publishers. Ashbaucher, R. A. (2011). Made in the image of God: Understanding the nature of God and mankind in a changing world. Collierville, TN: Innovo Pub. http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/ Read More