Thankfully, God wants us to know Him. The Creator and Sustainer of all, and everyone, reveals Himself to us. God’s self portrait is found in His written word… our Bible. Scripture tells us that He alone is God. He has always existed. He will never cease to exist. He is one God, in three Persons. Head hurt yet?

Easier to grasp are His attributes. He is perfect. So is His love. He is perfectly just. He is holy. He is also perfectly merciful. His wisdom is beyond measure. Best yet, He never changes. And He wants a relationship with you.

Buried with guilt? So confused you don’t know which way to turn? Try something different this time: turn your attention to Him and study the God who created you. As you open His word and read about Him, you’ll find that many of His attributes are easily identified. For your convenience, the link below provides some descriptions of God’s nature. This short listing will help you better understand who He is, and how He can help you break through the barriers that keep you from Him.

Attributes of God

While its not an easy thing to talk about, African American households must acknowledge and deal with the generational challenges passed down from history.  For example, slave traders in the 18^th and 19^th century would often separate families – selling off the father while leaving the mother with the children. After the Emancipation Proclamation, it wasn’t as if these challenges were instantly repaired. Women had taken on the role of raising the children, and men often had multiple families in several locations.  Of course, the poverty that came with the Jim Crow laws, lack of access to quality education, and segregation in general only exacerbated the challenges. (For more information on this history, see Trained in the Fear of God by Timothy Paul Jones and Randy Stinson).

Walls are unhealthy mindsets, and they originate in a misunderstanding of who God is.  When we remember that the primary place we first comprehend the nature of God is from our homes – and especially from our fathers – it is no wonder that we’re now facing a family crisis of epidemic proportions in the African American community.

… But I have great news: God’s way still works – and every home from any background can overcome the spiritual walls they faith by standing on God’s promises.  I’m convinced that Greater Mount Zion is going to be a shining beacon to others of how that healing can take place.  And I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store!

Is it possible to be alone in a room crowded with people? Sadly, we know it is. We have all stumbled through a day surrounded by family, friends, co-workers. Yet we are alone. Isolated. Disconnected. Seemingly invisible to those who stand right beside us. We occupy our minds with thoughts of the next thing to say, but nobody wants to listen. Or so it seems.

Some people seek isolation. Maybe in response to pain. Possibly because they feel unworthy or inferior. Others wish they could connect. Yet convinced they have nothing to offer, men and women created in the very image of God hide in the open behind their detachment.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

For God loves us. Like King David, when we are lonely and afflicted, He turns to us and is gracious to us. (Psalm 25:16). He delights in us. The Lord never looks right past us. He cares about what we think. He loves to hear from his children. And He never will fail us. Not once. For His name is Faithful and True.

Next time you feel alone, even in a crowded place, remember not to trust feelings. Instead, trust in the One who promised to never leave or forsake us. He deeply desires that we connect. With Him. And with each other.