i i i i i i i i i i I could certainly emphasize with your post. The struggle to comprehend
‘three in one’ is so beyond our finite comprehension. Yet, it is critical in our
relationship with God.
i i i i i i i i i i There is, however, another relationship that is helpful in developing a
greater understanding of this capability to be ‘three in one’. In Genesis 2:24
(NIV), God speaks to the remarkable relationship when one man is united with
one woman – “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to
his wife, and they become one flesh.” Having lived this out for over thirty-three
years with my wife, with each passing year I become more aware of the
‘oneness’ of these two individuals who are separate, distinct, gender different
and with their own personality quirks.
i i i i i i i i i i As I have long counseled, I think this supernatural unity in marriage is
never cleanly separated by (man-created) divorce. Instead, the “one flesh” is
ripped apart back into two individuals. When that occurs, however, the man still
has bits of his wife and the wife still has bits of her husband. This is
undoubtedly true if children are involved as well. In my opinion, this is why
there are several Scriptural admonitions against remarriage.
i i i i i i i i i i In my mind (and soul) when I speak or commune with “God” it is the
triune God. When with one of the three, I will use their singular identifiers –
Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. In Revelation 4:8, 11 (NIV) we read two
exhortations by worshipers to – what I believe is – the triune God:
“‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.
[
see also
Isa. 6:3]
. . . .
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for
you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Every aspect of those exhortations fully addresses the triune God. In contrast,
however, in Revelation 5:12 (NIV) we read this exhortation by the worshipers to
the “Lamb of God”:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom
and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Clearly, that could only be directed towards Jesus the Christ.
i i i i i i i i i i Ultimately, I believe mysteries such as these leave us intrigued to want to
know more. They drive us to deepen our relationship with God, as well as with
the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. As that relationship develops, we learn
more and realize that we want to learn even more because what we have
learned about God is so amazing. I am reminded of Jeremiah 9: 23, 24 (NIV):
“This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the
strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one
who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.”
It will be my prayer for both of us to “have the understanding to know [God]”.
That this course will aid us in that understanding so that we might share the
good news with others.
•
