3. My image of God affects the relationship we share.

How do you currently imagine God?

What image do you think God would like you to have of Him?

Are there parts of your image of God that make you afraid of Him?

Do you think God wants you to be afraid? Talk to God about your image of Him.

Imagine Jesus looking at you. How does His face look? What does this say to you about how Jesus feels about you? Is this consistent with how Jesus acted toward people in His life on Earth?

There are probably infinite ways to imagine God. We may think of Him in terms of proximity—far away, near at hand, looking over my shoulder from behind, standing out in front of me to see what is coming, walking with me, charging out to “victory,” and so on. Or, we may view Him in terms of vocation: 

God could be my captain, a policeman, Santa Claus, my boss, a fireman, a judge, a rescuer, or my friend. The category of “power” reflects another way of imagining God: overwhelming me, making me feel small and insignificant, directing me, controlling me, manipulating my environment, providing for me, serving me, elevating me, honoring me, requiring my honor, my worship, my submission, and so on. 

It is undeniable that the way we imagine God will determine the nature of our relationship with Him.  A question to consider then is, if God created us so that He could share our life with us, if God loves us with a love that is deeper than any love we could experience from others, what image of God will we need to be able to honor His desire for this kind of relationship?