What mental image do you use for God?

[Cerberus]

I listened to a sermon series by Tim Keller (NYC reformed Presbyterian pastor with a huge ministry) on deep prayer and meditation 6 weeks ago that has completely transformed my life, personality, desires, everything. Mindblowing. And have now personally witnessed exactly how powerful the holy spirit can be in our minds (my own mind)... It's not that I wasn't a Christian before, but I just did not feel the holy spirit present in my life. After the first or second sermon in the series I can only describe what happened to me by quoting this passage from the bible:

"Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah." ESV

Except it wasn't David that the spirit of the LORD rushed upon, it was me. It's impossible to describe to anyone who hasn't experienced it, so I won't even bother. Only know that it is glorious, and I recommend EVERYONE listen to this sermon series. I consider myself extremely blessed because I can tell that many many Christians have never experienced it. I've been a Christian for about 13 years (hard to remember exactly when, I'm a missionary kid so it wasn't like there was an overnight transformation from drunken directionless soul to one living for God), but after this experience it was like the bible was all new again. I became completely (and continue to be completely) obsessed with the word, with meditating on it, with reading passages I've read hundreds of times. Even John 3:16 took on a whole new meaning, whereas before it felt almost tired, redudant, old, because I'd heard it so many times. There is a deep HUNGER there that is unquenchable. And I grow more and more satisfied yet there is always more and more and more!

To quote Taylor Hudson (famous 19th century missionary):

"I have gotten to the edge only, but of a sea which is boundless. To have sipped only, but of that which fully satisfies."

Anyways the series focuses on the fact that almost all (or maybe ALL) of the great Christian theologians, teachers, preachers, mystics, etc. throughout history have agreed that meditation is one of the most powerful ways to "engage" the holy spirit within you, to turn it into high gear so to speak. And almost all of them, from Luther, to Jonathan Edwards to Teresa of Avila to Moody to Blaise Pascal (in other words, people of totally different cultures, times, and Christian traditions) agreed on the basic methods to go about this and all of them had at least ONE experience of God's love that was incredibly powerful... example:

(and I'm paraphrasing here as I don't remember the exact quote): "I felt such a tremendous overwhelming outpouring of God's love within my soul that I had to ask him to stop" - Moody

And keep in mind that Tim Keller is no pentecostal! And Jonathan Edwards certainly wasn't either (the man known for "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", but he reports similar supernatural experiences in his writings when he would go off to meditate on the Word for hours. Now this wasn't something that you could just "do" as Tim Keller says in his sermons, it's a gift from God, but it comes from meditating on his word day and night. It's purely from the holy spirit.

Ok now to get to the actual question!!!

When I meditate I have an extremely hard time picturing God. For example, the verse "I love you, O LORD, my strength." One of the simplest verses in the psalms (18:1 NIV) yet INCREDIBLY deep if you meditate on it. I meditated on it for around 40 minutes 2 nights ago and though I was able to use the mental image of the Swan/Omega nebula (google it, the most beautiful of God's creations IMO, or at least the ones we know of) to picture the "O LORD" part and focus on that...... but lately it's been harder for me. It just doesn't feel like ENOUGH. God is so incomprehensible that it's extremely difficult for me to meditate on a verse where he is mentioned! And of course I WANT to meditate on verses where he is mentioned (there's quite a few in the bible if you haven't noticed )

So I ask you... what mental image do you use when you meditate on the beauty of God? I asked my parents (missionaries for 25 years and very wise), and all they could offer me was "light" and a "lion" . Even Isaiah's descriptions just aren't enough because what he saw cannot be put into words. Anyways, some help here would be nice.

If you're interested in hearing the sermon series it's here:

http://sermons.redeemer.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=18312

I've only actually listened to the first four so far as I want to master the first two "levels" before I move on (you'll see what I mean when you listen to it)..... The first two sermons are basically introductions, the rest are "how do I do this?"

I pray that all of you are pierced in the way that I have been. When Jesus said "the truth shall set you free" he wasn't just talking about the chains of sin and escape from hell and acceptance by God through Jesus and getting into heaven. He was talking about the here and now. On earth. What else do you think allowed Paul to be dragged from prison to prison in chains all the while rejoicing and constantly writing letters to Churches trying to help them? He wasn't even thinking about himself! BECAUSE HE WAS FREE.

EDIT: Oh and for clarity's sake, no I have not had a supernatural experience of God's outpouring of love in my soul....... yet. I pray that it happen soon but his timing is the best timing. But even without that....... my personality has turned a complete 180 in 6 weeks from doing this form of prayer. And I praise him for that. I'm not gonna give my life story on here but if you knew me personally you'd know it was a total miracle.

Edited September 23, 2010 by Cerberus

[wyguy]

What mental image do you use for God?

As I live in America, I can't help but think of the old "Grandfather with the long white beard" image. That or the faceless image from Jack Chick tracts.

[Fez]

I guess I must be different. I don't have a mental image I use for God. To me He is God and God alone.

I worship Him, praise Him, thank Him, love Him, obey Him (well most of the time, being the sinner I am...) and work for Him.

When I talk to Him I don't have a picture or an image of Him in my mind.

When I meditate, I meditate on scripture, and it's many and diverse messages. It helps me if I begin to formulate a lesson in my mind around the scripture, because then I am jumping all over the bible.

But no image of God as such.

Blessings

[Believer1997]

I guess I must be different. I don't have a mental image I use for God. To me He is God and God alone.

I worship Him, praise Him, thank Him, love Him, obey Him (well most of the time, being the sinner I am...) and work for Him.

When I talk to Him I don't have a picture or an image of Him in my mind.

When I meditate, I meditate on scripture, and it's many and diverse messages. It helps me if I begin to formulate a lesson in my mind around the scripture, because then I am jumping all over the bible.

But no image of God as such.

Blessings

WOW - I AM SO GLAD you expressed this... When I first saw the thread, I felt so strange - I do NOT have an image of God... I have a feeling of Him - but no physical image... I'm glad at someone else has the same .... I've always wondered why I don't have some image of Him in my mind....

[mizzdy]

I also don't have a mental image for God, He is just all things and everywhere to me. I suppose if I had to picture Him on His throne I would have to imagine light, brilliant light that shines forth love and warmth.

[MorningGlory]

I see a form, emanating brilliant light, wearing white, who is everywhere all the time. He looks like no one and everyone but the form is human like. That makes sense to me because we are 'made in His image' after all.

[Believer112]

Our imaginations and our memories are important part of preparing our hearts. We think in pictures.

1 Chronicles 29:18

O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

David was speaking about remembering and the part that imagination played in our memories.The devil tends to use our bad memories against us and when we dwell on them our imagination blows it out of proportion.

Romans 1:21

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

2 Corinthians 10:5

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

A preacher said that he was disappointed when he saw the movie "Passion of Christ" He said that the movie didn't portray the true suffering of Jesus at the cross. After meditating tens of hundreds of hours on scripture, he could imagine the sins entering his body and ALL sickness and disease that actually caused disfigurement of his body.

I was shocked at the graphics of the movie!

Edited September 23, 2010 by Believer112

[MorningGlory]

Our imaginations and our memories are important part of preparing our hearts. We think in pictures.

1 Chronicles 29:18

O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

David was speaking about remembering and the part that imagination played in our memories.The devil tends to use our bad memories against us and when we dwell on them our imagination blows it out of proportion.

Romans 1:21

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

2 Corinthians 10:5

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

A preacher said that he was disappointed when he saw the movie "Passion of Christ" He said that the movie didn't portray the true suffering of Jesus at the cross. After meditating tens of hundreds of hours on scripture, he could imagine the sins entering his body and ALL sickness and disease that actually caused disfigurement of his body.

I was shocked at the graphics of the movie!

You're one up on me, Believer. I have never mustered the courage to even see the movie....people told me about it and I knew I just couldn't bear to see even a reenactment of the death of my Lord. Even the thought makes me very unhappy.

[Guest LadyC]

I guess I must be different. I don't have a mental image I use for God. To me He is God and God alone.

I worship Him, praise Him, thank Him, love Him, obey Him (well most of the time, being the sinner I am...) and work for Him.

When I talk to Him I don't have a picture or an image of Him in my mind.

When I meditate, I meditate on scripture, and it's many and diverse messages. It helps me if I begin to formulate a lesson in my mind around the scripture, because then I am jumping all over the bible.

But no image of God as such.

Blessings

WOW - I AM SO GLAD you expressed this... When I first saw the thread, I felt so strange - I do NOT have an image of God... I have a feeling of Him - but no physical image... I'm glad at someone else has the same .... I've always wondered why I don't have some image of Him in my mind....

DITTO!!! i have no "image of him either.

[Littlelambseativy]

I'm glad others have no mental image of God because as others have said, I tried hard to think of one but I do not have one either.