Like most moms, I love to take pictures of my kids. I love to take them, but even more than that I love to look at them again and again. Why is this? And why would a mom spend an otherwise free evening and even a good deal of money on all kinds of little scrapbooking tools in order to preserve them?
I think the reason is this: each and every picture we take of our children gives us a unique glimpse into their personality in a way it has never been captured before and perhaps never will be captured again. The grin at a beloved pet, the joy of a moment at play, the disgust of that first bite of birthday cake all reveal a little more of who that child is. The parent of that child leans in closely to capture just a little bit more of the miracle God has given in this precious bundle of life.
I have begun to find reading the Bible to be a lot like looking at snapshots of my children. As God reveals Himself in Scripture, I have begun to lean in for better glimpses of who He is. In the book of Isaiah alone, we have been given glimpses of many pictures of God.
The Father: a righteous judge, contrasted with that of a heartbroken parent (Ch. 1), full of wrath against His rebellious creation yet pleading with any who will listen to turn and repent, (umm...chapters 1-39?), Rock (Ch. 17), a refuge, shelter, and shade (Ch. 25), Holy One of Israel and Lord Almighty (so many times I've lost count), Upright One (Ch. 26), and the glorious crown and beautiful wreath of His people (Ch. 28). Isaiah depicts God's wrath against sin as I've seen it nowhere else in the Bible, but I'm going to keep looking because every book reveals it in a little different light.
The Son: Messiah and the coming King, the Branch of the Lord (ch. 4 and 11), a Canopy (Ch. 4), Immanuel (Ch. 7), Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Ch. 9), the Banner (Ch. 11), and so many more!!! It is no wonder we go to this book time and again as we celebrate Christmas. His coming was promised and anticipated as the only hope for man, revealed in every chapter.
The attributes of God, pieced together throughout Scripture, make for a pictoral scrapbook unlike any other. All it takes is some time, prayer, study, and meditation...and the God of the Bible is revealed in glimpses that are breath-taking and life-changing.
The next time you open your Bible, I hope you find some aspect of His character you've never noticed before, and see Him a little better.
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