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March 2007, Page 8.
Index of articles:
by subject,
by date.
In this issue:
(March 2007)
Going for growth,
Can Jesus help?
Roof,
Song.
Who is this God?
Who is this God, and what is his teaching?
The unknown creator, yet he is not far
from anyone's heart who is searching and reaching:
for in him all live, and his offspring we are.
Who is this God, and what kind of temple
would honour his name? He's the maker of all,
and he does not need any house: buildings crumble
and cannot contain him, no matter how tall.
Who is this God, and when is his feast day?
But he is the Lord of the whole of the year!
To give him just one, or to sacrifice beasts may
suggest we've forgotten that he's always near.
Who is this God, and how may we know him?
The maker of people, he came here to dwell:
revealing himself in a man he has chosen,
and proving this true, for he rose from death's hell.
Who is this God? Is he worth obedience?
And how may we judge him? As burden or friend?
As lover and teacher he seeks our allegiance:
as judge he would save us, forgiv'n at our end.
Who is this God? And what of this Gospel?
Shall we laugh to scorn? Shall we put faith on hold?
Or shall we believe? Shall we join his Apostle
and find love and joy in the city of gold?
Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2006.
Based on Acts 17:16-32 and inspired by an exposition given by David Coffey.
There's a tune on our web site (link in left-hand column of this page).
When St Paul visits Athens and meets the city folk, they think they already know what gods are. Gods are those things that need temples and feast days and offerings and so on. They’ll be quite happy to believe in ‘Jesus’ along with the rest of the gods, provided Paul tells them all those details so they can fit this new god into their system.
Are we like that? I’ll fit church in ... round the gym and the car and the family and the job and the mortgage? And the punch question: is ‘God’ worth it?
Paul tells them they have the wrong idea. The real God needs none of these things: if you think about it, that’s only logical. And if you think you can question God about whether he’s worthwhile ... perhaps you ought to wonder if maybe it’s God asking you whether you’re worthwhile?
John Hartley