A. W. Tozer, in his classic book The Knowledge of the Holy, begins with these penetrating words:
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us … for this reason, the gravest question before the church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.”
Tonight, LeBron James will tell the world (in a 1-hour special) which NBA team he’ll be playing for next year. It’s a big deal to a lot of people, especially to LeBron. But, do you know what should be more important for LeBron than this decision? It’s “what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.” That is the most important thing about LeBron. And to the degree He misconceives God, regardless of his fame or fortune, we should feel sorry for him. O! to have the whole world, but miss Jesus Christ, is to be the least pauper of all! O! to have no bank account, yet have Jesus, is to be the wealthiest of all!
This is not a commentary on LeBron’s conception of God (I haven’t the foggiest idea what he conceives God to be like). It is, however, a reminder that what comes into our minds when we think about God really is the most important thing about us.
And I wonder, what comes into your mind when you think about God? Is it accurate? Is it informed by what He’s told us (the Bible) or by your wishes, sprinkled with the idiotic notions of our wayward culture? There really is a God Who Is, and a god we naively imagine, and they are not the same. The first is Real, Sovereign, All-Powerful, and (ironically) more willing to sacrifice for your welfare than you could hope. The second is papier-mâché, a mannequin, a hollow clam shell with no pearl. He’s not real, no matter how often you invoke his name.
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