I think there is often an issue when (Quaker) folks strongly disagree over church government stuff, of “who is God?”. Myself, I like to define God quite strongly, from the understanding I’ve gathered so far on my journey of faith, just in order to be able to use my faith in my life. I have to name who God is, when I am praying, to remind myself. God is the God who loves me as much as she loves you (hard to remember sometimes). God is the God who loves my enemy, even when I hate what I’m hearing: maybe God wants to speak to my enemy through me, or to speak to me through my enemy to illuminate how I am ‘othering’ someone else by perceiving them wrongly right now or how I need to repent and act differently.

God is who brings us together, illuminates the unity we have in common, invites us into a deeper understanding of the Holy Life that transforms the world.  God is the God of the oppressed, the outcast, the poor and those who are hated. God is the sure guide to the peaceable kingdom, though the path may go through storms. God is the one who can make glory manifest from every difficulty, every trouble: God is the one whose commonwealth embraces all of us, is a true home for each of us, when elders are secure and happy, where all children are able to play.

How do you name God?

Posted on July 21st, 2009 by AliceY
. Filed under Uncategorized