Is God Really an Old Man With a Long White Beard?

Q: On a trip to Italy I saw a painting of God. Is He really an old man with a long white beard? — A.L.

A: When people receive Jesus Christ as personal Savior they begin to understand that God is a Spirit, yet He displays the attributes of perfection. God thinks, He speaks, He communicates, He judges, He instructs, He grieves and He loves.

God sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to relate to us in our human limitations. To this day, He feels what we feel; after all, we are made in His image, so it is to be expected that we would be able to communicate our deepest feelings and emotions to God.

And God communicates with us through His Word. When He speaks to us, He should have our full attention. And remember, God knows everything about us. We cannot hide anything from God, and we can trust Him fully. God is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He never changes. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). He longs to have a personal relationship with us. But more than what we think He looks like, He wants us to “know” Him.

Most of us know about God, but that is quite different from knowing God. God is not bound by a body, yet He is a person. If you want to know what God looks like, look at the heart of God, for it is rich in mercy and grace. Submit to Him. Study the Scriptures; for He has revealed Himself in His blessed Word, the Bible. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

(c)2018 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.