An Odd God

At our jail, the occasional officer states, “There’s no god,” but most COs express belief in God, even if their idea of him varies.

Throughout history, people recognized that the universe was beyond explanation and human control, so they believed that there must be a powerful designer or beings that controlled life. Roman and Greek gods were considered unpredictable, vicious, or indifferent, and limited to a geographical area or ability, such as controlling weather, money, health, or fertility. Worship rituals and daily rules were developed to hopefully placate and please these gods—hoping to avoid punishment and gain rewards.

What do you think of God? Is he involved in your life, indifferent, or ready to punish you for failures? Do you consider him as accepting and forgiving, or cruel and damning? It’s been said that the most important thing in life is what you think of God, since this determines your eternal destination.

What Might Surprise You About God

God reveals himself through nature and his word, the Bible. It also reveals his hopes and plans for us. If you don’t yet know him, here are aspects about God which often surprise people:

He’s interested in everyone, even those who ignore him and his commands: “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me...I held out my hands to obstinate people, who walk in ways not good…who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me…” (Isaiah 65)

He wants us to talk to him, often and directly: “Pray to me continuously…” (1st Thessalonians 5:17). We’re never told to pray via saints or Mother Mary. (Wouldn’t it hurt your feelings, if someone you loved only communicated to you through a third party?)

He loves surprising people with amazing “cliff-hangers:” the Red Sea didn’t open until the enemy was nearby. After commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son Issac, God didn’t stop the execution until the last moment. After Christ was crucified and his disciples were hiding in fear, Jesus walked into the room!

He comforts angels because they see much that is distressing, watching us humans bungle our way through life: “The Lord gave comforting words to the angel” (Zechariah 1:13).

He adopts people: “All led by the Spirit receive adoption…becoming children of God,” (Romans 8:15b—16).

He’s interested in everything about you, even your hair count (Luke 12:7), which constantly changes! Have you ever been so interested in something that you constantly check it—like your cell? That’s how eagerly God stays aware of everything about YOU.

He’s jealous (Exodus 34:14), but not envious. Envy wants what another has; God created and owns everything, so he can’t envy. Jealousy wants a person to not have something. Maybe you dislike someone having more than you—a common, bad form of jealousy. However, God’s jealousy is good, because he doesn’t want us to have things which harm us, like believing a false religion and ending up in hell, or having sex outside of marriage, damaging the marriage.

He ridiculed religious leaders and their demanding rules: “these teachers of the Law…say one thing and do something else…they…show off in front of others. You Pharisees and teachers of the Law are hypocrites and blind fools!” (Matthew 23)

He was the first feminist, speaking to women in public, involving women in his ministry, protecting foreign women, those caught in adultery, and more. Jesus’ egalitarian treatment of women was unprecedented, challenging the patriarchal norms.

He honors honest skepticism. God never punished Moses, Gideon, or anyone for asking sincere questions. When the disciple Thomas didn’t believe Jesus was alive, Christ appeared, didn’t chastise Thomas, but showed him the desired proof.

He doesn’t want us to feel guilty, like Satan does. God wants confession and repentance (evidenced by a changed heart, words, and actions), for the good of us and others. Acknowledging his full payment for our guilty sin, we can feel joy—not guilt. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1st John 1:9).

He respectfully waits, hoping you invite him into your life. ”I stand at the door and knock…” (Revelation 3:20) — the opposite of Satan, who always pushes in.

He’s emotional, grieves with us (Jesus, who is God, wept at Lazarus’ grave), even lovingly singing over us (Zephaniah 3:17)!

He was seen, unlike man-made gods. Jesus said, “if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the father” (John 14:9).

He’s alive and well, unlike the dead and buried founders of every other faith. “Do you not know...the everlasting God, Creator of the ends of the earth, does not become weary or tired” (Isaiah 40:28).

He commands but gives us free will. We choose to disobey or obey his loving guidance: “Choose life… by listening to his voice, to love God, obey and hold fast to him” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

He gives us the ability to obey him, then rewards us for it! “…whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

He loves unconditionally, despite knowing all our sinful thoughts, words, and actions, and even if we choose to reject his love and guidance (just as a parent still loves a rebellious child).

He’s available any time and place, even if we think he’s not present. “The Lord is near to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18). We needn’t go to or through a church, priest, or other person to talk to him.

He hates pride, despite the world saying, pride is great! “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6).

He prays for us: “Christ…is interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34)

He debased himself, becoming “fully human in every way” (Hebrews 2:17). He knows hunger, pain, and unfair treatment that we experience, and comes alongside us with understanding and encouragement.

He’s humble. When he came to earth, he chose an unimpressive appearance, since humans worship beautiful humans. “He had…no beauty” (Isaiah 53:2b). He chose an undignified death, accepting brutality, being stripped, and a terrible, unfair execution — to benefit us sinners.

He doesn’t want your money; he wants your heart, and for you to enjoy giving: “…give…not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2nd Corinthians 9:7).

He wants to reward us. See AJA.org’s Publication–Wellness leaflet, “Should God let Bad Christians Into Heaven?”

He allows trials for good. Like the two poisons, sodium, and chloride, which together create helpful and tasty salt, God’s trials are for his good plan, even if we don’t understand or like them. “Trials produce perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

He instructs us to pray for our enemies, just as he did, when crucified for us: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

He died for you. No other religious leader died for people’s sin. God came to earth to be unfairly arrested, tortured, and executed for our sin: “Christ died for our sins” (1st Corinthians 15:3). “He…washed us from our sins by his own blood” (Revelation 1:5).

He demands no good works to gain heaven—simply belief that you sin and that he paid for it all: “…you have been saved through faith in Christ Jesus…not your own doing…not your works; it is the gift of God, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:23). To the thief on the cross next to him, Jesus said: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

More Surprises

There ARE some things that God can’t do! He can’t lie, be tempted to do evil, change, or cease to exist.

We’re made in God’s image, but aren’t like him; he’s far more merciful, forgiving, generous, patient, creative, and loving, saying: “My thoughts and my ways are not like yours” (Isaiah 55:8).

Some think that Jesus, God the Son, is loving, and died to save people from the wrath of God the Father. This is untrue. God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — is goodness and love, not vindictiveness. He’s a fair, perfect judge who only condemns those who reject him, and in so doing, choose hell.

Believing that God exists, doesn’t save people from hell; even Satan believes that. Religious, manmade, rituals don’t please God, It’s only our personal relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ that saves us from hell.

I pray, with hope, that these attributes of our loving God cause you to want to learn more about him, by reading the Bible carefully and often. If there’s any way I can help, please let me know.

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Chaplain Linda Ahrens Chaplain American Jail Association