God Is God

Today and tomorrow we are talking about the attributes, or qualities of God. First we will look at what are generally known as the incommunicable attributes of God. These are qualities of God that He does not share with creation. They are unique to Him. I like to think of these as the reasons God is God (and of course, the reasons I am not God!).

• God is independent. God does not need us. He created us for His glory–to worship Him. But He didn’t create us because He was lonely or bored. What is truly amazing is that even though He doesn’t need us, He uses us! He allows us (even specifically gifts us!) to partner with Him in His work. “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:24–25).
• God is immutable. God never changes. (Oh, this blesses me today!) He is the same forever. His mood does not depend on the weather, how much sleep He got, how obedient His children are, or even what others say about Him. You can always trust Him. You can always trust His love. No matter how crazy your life feels, God never changes.“For I the Lord do not change” (Mal. 3:6).
• God is eternal. He was, is, and will be. He wasn’t born and He won’t die. He is the great I AM. And as believers, we will spend eternity with Him after our lives on earth end. Such an amazing gift from our creator to His beloved. “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Ps. 90:2).
• God is omnipresent. God is not bound by space or geography. This brings peace and comfort to believers. God is as much with me here in Pennsylvania as He is with the son we are adopting in Ethiopia. There is no where I can go that He is not. “’Am I a God at hand,’ declares the Lord, ‘and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’” (Jer. 23:23–24).

There are other qualities that are considered incommunicable, but this list gives me enough qualities to praise Him all day long! That is the “so what” moment of our study today. Our doctrinal beliefs on the attributes of God matter because these are reasons God, and God alone, is worthy of our praise.

Please take a minute now, even in the busyness of your day, to praise God for being God. Choose one attribute that speaks specifically to a need in your life at this moment, or take time to praise Him for each one.

“Shout for you to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His name; give to him glorious praise!

All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.”

Psalm 66:1 & 4