“WHO is God?” said an educated Oriental gentleman as he stood in the surgery of a Christian man.
“Amongst us the lower orders have their images, which they worship; whilst the educated people adore our great men, but here in England ‘God’ is worshipped. Who is God?”
The Christian to whom he was speaking replied: “God is that Divine Being Who created everything that you can see.”
“But how can you prove that?” again he questioned.
For answer the other took out his watch, which happened to be very cleverly made, and after showing it he said: “Who made that?”
“A man―and a clever man,” was the reply.
“Just so, and therefore, when I look up at the sparkling firmament, where all those great and beautiful globes keep more perfect time than the cleverest clock-work, I recognize and adore the One Who made them, and Who keeps them in motion, the God of Whom I read in the Bible.”
Very much interested, the gentleman desired to see a Bible, so, opening a drawer in his writing-table, the Christian gave him one, showing him where to find the inspired account of the Creation.
And also the records of how God the Creator sought to make Himself known intimately to the people He had created, and did Himself take a lowly form and walk upon His own earth, a Man amongst men, living and dying in their sight that He might endear them to Himself.
The gentleman took the Book with many thanks, promising to read it, and went on his way.
There had been three other patients waiting, and each in turn remarked upon the Eastern appearance of the foreigner.
“Yes, but what do you think he asked me?” was the question put to one after the other of these people, who lived in the full light of Christianity. “He asked me ‘Who is God?’ Now what would you have said?”
One replied, “Well, that is a question that needs thinking over.”
Another, “I should have told him to read the Prayer Book.”
The other, “I should not have known what to say to him.”
But it is such an important question, reader, that we put it before you, in case you have not seen and understood clearly something definite about that God to Whom individuals, both in England and the ends of the earth, must bow.
It is possible to be so settled in mind about this knowledge that you feel you can live and die by it, and that, whatever else you have to part with, you could never lose the sense of Divine love in your heart.
How are we to approach God, so that we can learn about Him?
He has graciously sent His Holy Spirit to lead our thoughts prayerfully to heaven, and has also given us the Scriptures to read. We learn that He “will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth, for there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:44Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4)).
We also learn where that Man now is, for we read in Luke 24:50-3 that He ascended to heaven from the midst of His disciples.
And then we learn that He is not too high or great to care about the desires of His creatures below. A sigh, a prayer, a groan reaches His ear and His heart, for He is still “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)).
Who, then, is God? Surely the Origin of all good, the Hope of every living thing; and happy are they who can sing: ―
“I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my star, my sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk
Till trav’lling days are done.”
L. J. M.