How do you view God?

Many in the world today see God as He is not. Many see him as some cruel, controlling dictator waiting for them to mess up.  They see Him as an enforcer of some crazy rules that just don't matter. Those who have this perspective do not know the one true God.

The following inspirational piece by an unknown author illustrates this fact:

At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I married in heaven or hell when I die. He was out there so does like a president. I recognize this picture when I saw it, but I really didn't know him. But later on, when I met Christ, it seemed as though life or rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, & I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal.

I don't know just when it was that he suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since! When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable ... it was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains and through rocky places at breakneck speeds. It was all I could do to just hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said "Pedal!"

I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I'd say, "I'm scared!", He leaned back and touch my hand. He took me to people with gifts that I needed. Gifts of healing, acceptance, enjoy. They gave us gifts to take on my journey, my Lords and mine. And we were off again. He said, "Give the gifts away; there extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met; and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it; but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, knows how to jump to clear high rocks, knows how to try to shorten scary passages. And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful companion, Jesus Christ. And when I'm sure I just can't do anymore, He just smiles and says, "Pedal!"

God is good. First and foremost, he is the Creator of all things, but he is also our Father. And a good Father wants what's best for his children, so he creates rules to protect them, and to point them in the direction of where they should be ... what they were created to be. He is also an extremely patient and forgiving Father, knowing that we will continue to mess up along the way. He does not care to count our mess ups. He simply wants a heart that trust Him and loves Him.

Thank God for that. :-)