The Bible reveals who God is.
As we add pieces to our 'image puzzle' of God
the image of God just continues to grow ...
As we add pieces to our 'image puzzle' of God
the image of God just continues to grow ...
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TheWhat do I know about God?
What kind of God do I believe in?
What kind of God do I NOT believe in?
Take a moment to write down or draw the picture that comes into your head when you hear the word ‘God’.
How can the bible help me to stretch my idea of who God is?
What kind of God do I believe in?
What kind of God do I NOT believe in?
Take a moment to write down or draw the picture that comes into your head when you hear the word ‘God’.
How can the bible help me to stretch my idea of who God is?
God transcends all creatures. We must therefore continually purify our language of everything in it that is limited, image-bound or imperfect if we are not to confuse our image of God – ‘the inexpressible, the incomprehensible, the invisible, the ungraspable’ – with our human representations. Our human words always fall short of the mystery of God. (CCC 42)
As you read these passages from scripture consider which images are helpful and which images are not.
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FATHER
Psalm 68:5 Father of orphans and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. |
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HUSBAND
Isaiah 54:5 For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name 
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BELOVED
Song of Solomon 2:10 My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away..." |
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HELPER
Psalm 54:4 But surely, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life. 
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FRIEND
Exodus 33:11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. |
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KING
Pslam 10:16 The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations shall perish from his land |
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LIBERATOR
Exodus 6:7 I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians. 
JUDGE
Genesis 18:25 Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just? 
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SAVIOUR
Psalm 106:21 They forgot God, their Saviour, who had done great things in Egypt. 
WARRIOR
Exodus 15:3 The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. 
SHEPHERD
Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd |
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POTTER
Jeremiah 18:6 Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel |
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HEALER
Jeremiah 17:14 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed |
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KNITTER
Psalm 139:13 For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb |
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JEWELER
Isaiah 54:11 O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, I am about to set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. |
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BUILDER
Isaiah 54:11 O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, I am about to set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. |
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TEACHER
Isaiah 30:20 Yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more. |
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EAGLE
Deuteronomy 32:11 As an eagle stirs up its nest, and hovers over its young; as it spreads its wings, takes them up, and bears them aloft on its pinions |
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HEN
LUKE 13:34 How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! |
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LEOPARD
Hosea 13:7-8 So I will become like a lion to them, like a leopard I will lurk beside the way |
Spend some time considering these questions:
What are your favourite images of God?
What are some of the strengths and some of the weaknesses of this image?
Which image do you not like? Why?
Has your image of God changed over time? What encouraged your image to change?
Why do you think that the Bible contains so may different images of God?
Muslims pray ninety-nine names of Allah. Could you make up a list of 20 names for God that you relate to?
What are your favourite images of God?
What are some of the strengths and some of the weaknesses of this image?
Which image do you not like? Why?
Has your image of God changed over time? What encouraged your image to change?
Why do you think that the Bible contains so may different images of God?
Muslims pray ninety-nine names of Allah. Could you make up a list of 20 names for God that you relate to?
