Chaplain’s Corner

Character

If someone was to describe who you are, what might they say about you? Would descriptions include friendly? Kind? Patient? Funny? Honest? Caring? Loving? Forgiving? Generous? How would they describe your character?

When you think about God, what do you think He is like? What is God’s character? You can’t see Character. If I’m looking at someone, it’s not like a T-shirt stating their core beliefs and character traits for all to see.  It’s who they are on the inside. Their thoughts and beliefs, their worldview. 

What is God like? The Bible has a lot to say about God and what He is like.

Trustworthy – He’s always there when I want to talk to Him, He never lies, He is honest. He never lets me down, He’ll never let me fall. He is trustworthy, in Him I can put my trust.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Loving – He is loving. God is my loving Father, He cares for me, He cares about me. He calls me His own, His Child. 

God is love. We love and know what true love is because God first loved us. 

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. 1 John 3:1

Creative – He created the world! He created the heavens, the sun and the moon and the stars, He created water and land. He is the great architect. He had a plan, has a plan and continues to outwork His super creative plan.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

He created the hippopotamus! God, He is creative! AND He has a sense of humour!  Evidence right there, yes?

Good – He is kind! He is genuine. He is full of mercy.

The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made. Psalm 145:9

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 107:1

He is forgiving.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us. 1 John 1:9

That is what God is like. These are just some of the things that make up the character of God, who He is, what He is like. 

What are you like?  I wonder, as His children, do we reflect what God is like? 

The more I hang out with God, the more I spend time with Him, praying or reading His word (the Bible); the more I hang out with people who also like hanging out with God – the more His character rubs off on me. The more I want to seek to be trustworthy. The more I desire to be loving. The more creative I want to be. The more I want goodness to flow from me and the more forgiving I try to be. 

Knowing who God is and what He is like, helps us to develop important habits. The more I know about Him, the more I fall in love with Him. The more I fall in love with Him, the more I want to be like Him. The more I want to be like Him, the more whole I am as a person and the more able I am going to be to reflect His love to others. 

GOD is:

• Trustworthy
• Loving
• Creative
• Good
• He is forgiving

I wonder, are these characteristics that you have? Are these things you can work on making daily habits in your life? I guarantee you can, by simply chasing after God and desiring to be more and more like Jesus every day! 

God bless,

Pastor Matt Daly

College Chaplain