Colossians 1:15 "Jesus is the image of the invisible God...."
If you want to know what God is like, follow the life of Jesus Christ.
1) God is merciful - watch Jesus extending mercy in John 8. A woman is caught in aldultery...please read the rest of the story. She is guilty. Her accusers drop their rocks and leave. The whole incident speaks of mercy in the face of blatant guilt.
Watch Jesus showing mercy in Luke 14:13. Jerusalem.....who has killed the prophets and under Rome is going to kill Jesus: Jesus, in the face of blatant guilt and shame, is weeping for the scoffers. Zaccheus the cheat and scumbag wants to see Jesus but does not want to be seen by Jesus. Jesus and Zaccheus visit and talk and eat at his house...in the face of blatant guilt and shame - Jesus responds in mercy.
2) God is compassionate - see Jesus' amazing compassion in John 11. Martha meets Jesus, 4 days after Lazarus' death with a "Where have you been!?" Lazarus is already dead and buried. Mary (and the weeping and wailing mourners) meet Jesus. Jesus says: "Take me to the tomb". Jesus knows and He sees the light at the end of the tunnel, ie, Lazarus is going to walk out of the tomb. Still, Jesus begins to cry. Lazarus has been four days in the ground and Jesus - God compassionate - enters into the grief of His people even though He knows that soon there is going to be a celebration. He does not try to explain, just weeps and weeps with them.
3) God is all-powerful - watch Jesus in action in Luke 8:22-25. Jesus stops a storm. The boat is thrown all over the lake, and Jesus is taking a nap. Someone wakes Him up and He then rebukes and stops the storm. Who is this man? You are watching God's power over nature in Jesus. Jesus heals 10 lepers - all 10 of them! In Mark 5:21-23. Jesus tells mourners and wailers that a 12 year old is not dead, but asleep - see the rest of the account: the 12-year old is raised from the dead, sits up in bed and eats. See God in action when Jesus shows His authority over demons: Mark 5:1-20.
Etc etc etc - please, see the four gospels in the Christian Bible.
Hebrews 1:3 "Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature and He, Jesus, upholds the universe by the word of His power."
If you want to know Who God is, look at the Person of Christ Jesus. There are also hints in other places such as nature and our consciences. Look at Jesus, please look carefully at Jesus.
Back to John 8, the woman caught in adultery is about to die, about to be pelted with rocks - this is her reality. Zachheus wants to see Jesus, but not be seen by Jesus. Jesus shows mercy, God shows mercy.
How do you behold God? Jesus is the key!
No matter how hard you shout: "Stop snowing!" - it is not going to just stop snowing. No matter how hard we try, we are not going to pull a live body out of a grave. Look at Jesus and see God's power over nature and demons and death.
But...creation is not the ultimate: Christ Jesus is the Creator of all things: visible, that which we can experience with our 5 senses and the invisible (to us) in heaven. If it exists, Jesus created it. In the beginning, God created...
A Personal Post Script:
Everyone can read stories about Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, in the Bible: portraits painted by the words of those who knew Him personally. Some see myth. Some see a historical figure or just another good teacher.
As I am typing this, I am praying that whoever read these words, that you and us, will see AND SAVOUR Jesus. Oh that you and us would treasure and prize and cherish and admire and adore Him! That we would see Christ Jesus for Who He is: "Jesus is the image of the invisible God...." and "Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature and He, Jesus, upholds the universe by the word of His power."
2 Corinthians 4:6
"God, Who said,
Light shall shine out of darkness"
has shone into our hearts
to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ"
