وجبـــــــة روحيـــــ(†)ــــــــــة يوميـــــــــة

[Mary Naeem]

Who is God? - His Character
Here are some of God’s characteristics as revealed in the Bible: God is just (Acts 17:31), loving (Ephesians 2:4-5), truthful (John 14:6), and holy (1 John 1:5). God shows compassion (2 Corinthians 1:3), mercy (Romans 9:15), and grace (Romans 5:17). God judges sin (Psalm 5:5) but also offers forgiveness (Psalm 130:4).

[Mary Naeem]

Who is God? - His Work
We cannot understand God apart from His works, because what God does flows from who He is. Here is an abbreviated list of God’s works, past, present, and future: God created the world (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 42:5); He actively sustains the world (Colossians 1:17); He is executing His eternal plan (Ephesians 1:11) which involves the redemption of man from the curse of sin and death (Galatians 3:13-14); He draws people to Christ (John 6:44); He disciplines His children (Hebrews 12:6); and He will judge the world (Revelation 20:11-15).
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[Mary Naeem]

Who is God? - A Relationship with Him
In the Person of the Son, God became incarnate (John 1:14). The Son of God became the Son of Man and is therefore the “bridge” between God and man (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5). It is only through the Son that we can have forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7), reconciliation with God (John 15:15; Romans 5:10), and eternal salvation (2 Timothy 2:10). In Jesus Christ “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). So, to really know who God is, all we have to do is look at Jesu

[Mary Naeem]

What is God


A. W. Tozer wrote, “’What is God like?’ If by that question we mean ‘What is God like in Himself?’ there is no answer. If we mean ‘What has God disclosed about Himself that the reverent reason can comprehend?’ there is, I believe, an answer both full and satisfying.”

Tozer is right in that we cannot know what God is with respect to Himself. The book of Job declares, “Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know?” (Job 11:7–8).

However, we can ask what God has revealed about Himself in His Word and in creation that “the reverent reason” can grasp.

When Moses was directed by God to go to the Egyptian Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites, Moses asked God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” (Exodus 3:13).

The answer God gave Moses was simple, yet very revealing: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’; and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you”’” (Exodus 3:14). The Hebrew text in verse 14 literally says, “I be that I be.”

This name speaks to the fact that God is pure existence, or what some call pure actuality. Pure actuality is that which IS with no possibility to not exist. Put another way, many things can have existence (e.g., human beings, animals, plants), but only one thing can be existence. Other things have “being” but only God is Being.

The fact that God alone is Being leads to at least five truths about what God is – what type of being God is.

First, God alone is a self-existent being and the first cause of everything else that exists. John 5:26 simply says, “The Father has life in Himself.” Paul preached, “He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else” (Acts 17:25).

Second, God is a necessary being. A necessary being is one whose nonexistence is impossible. Only God is a necessary being; all other things are contingent beings, meaning they could not exist. However, if God did not exist, then neither would anything else. He alone is the necessary being by which everything else currently exists – a fact that Job states: “If He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath, All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust” (Job 34:14–15).

Third, God is a personal being. The word personal in this context does not describe personality (e.g., funny, outgoing, etc.); rather, it means “having intent.” God is a purposeful being who has a will, creates, and directs events to suit Him. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’” (Isaiah 46:9–10).

Fourth, God is a triune being. This truth is a mystery, yet the whole of Scripture and life in general speaks to this fact. The Bible clearly articulates that there is but one God: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deut. 6:4). But the Bible also declares that there is a plurality to God. Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He commanded His disciples: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Notice the singular “name” in the verse; it does not say “names,” which would convey three gods. There is one name belonging to the three Persons who make up the Godhead.

Scripture in various places clearly calls the Father God, Jesus God, and the Holy Spirit God. For example, the fact that Jesus possesses self-existence and is the first cause of everything is stated in the first verses of John: “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life” (John 1:3–4). The Bible also says that Jesus is a necessary being: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).

Fifth, God is a loving being. In the same way that many things can exist but only one thing can be existence, people and other living things can possess and experience love, but only one thing can be love. First John 4:8 makes the simple ontological statement, “God is love.”

What is God? God is the only one who can say, “I be that I be.” God is pure existence, self-existent, and the source of everything else that possesses existence. He is the only necessary being, is purposeful/personal, and possesses both unity and diversity.

God is also love. He invites you to seek Him and discover the love He has for you in His Word and in the life of His Son Jesus Christ, the one who died for your sins and made a way for you to live with Him for eternity.

[Mary Naeem]

What are the attributes of God


The Bible, God’s Word, tells us what God is like and what He is not like. Without the authority of the Bible, any attempt to explain God’s attributes (inherent qualities) would be no better than an opinion, which by itself is often incorrect, especially in understanding God (Job 42:7). To say that it is important for us to try to understand what God is like is a huge understatement. Failure to do so can cause us to set up, chase after, and worship false gods contrary to His will (Exodus 20:3-5).


Only what God has chosen to reveal of Himself can be known. One of God’s attributes or qualities is “light,” meaning that He is self-revealing in information of Himself (Isaiah 60:19; James 1:17). The fact that God has revealed knowledge of Himself should not be neglected (Hebrews 4:1). Creation, the Bible, and the Word made flesh (Jesus Christ) will help us to know what God is like.

Let’s start by understanding that God is our Creator and that we are a part of His creation (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 24:1) and are created in His image. Man is above the rest of creation and was given dominion over it (Genesis 1:26-28). Creation is marred by the fall but still offers a glimpse of God’s works (Genesis 3:17-18; Romans 1:19-20). By considering creation’s vastness, complexity, beauty, and order, we can have a sense of the awesomeness of God.

Reading through some of the names of God can be helpful in our search of what God is like. They are as follows:

Elohim - strong One, divine (Genesis 1:1)
Adonai - Lord, indicating a Master-to-servant relationship (Exodus 4:10, 13)
El Elyon - Most High, the strongest One (Genesis 14:20)
El Roi - the strong One who sees (Genesis 16:13)
El Shaddai - Almighty God (Genesis 17:1)
El Olam - Everlasting God (Isaiah 40:28)
Yahweh - LORD “I AM,” meaning the eternal, self-existent God (Exodus 3:13, 14).

God is eternal, meaning He had no beginning and His existence will never end. He is immortal and infinite (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17). God is immutable, meaning He is unchanging; this in turn means that God is absolutely reliable and trustworthy (Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19; Psalm 102:26, 27). God is incomparable; there is no one like Him in works or being. He is unequaled and perfect (2 Samuel 7:22; Psalm 86:8; Isaiah 40:25; Matthew 5:48). God is inscrutable, unfathomable, unsearchable, and past finding out as far as understanding Him completely (Isaiah 40:28; Psalm 145:3; Romans 11:33, 34).

God is just; He is no respecter of persons in the sense of showing favoritism (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 18:30). God is omnipotent; He is all-powerful and can do anything that pleases Him, but His actions will always be in accord with the rest of His character (Revelation 19:6; Jeremiah 32:17, 27). God is omnipresent, meaning He is present everywhere, but this does not mean that God is everything (Psalm 139:7-13; Jeremiah 23:23). God is omniscient, meaning He knows the past, present, and future, including what we are thinking at any given moment. Since He knows everything, His justice will always be administered fairly (Psalm 139:1-5; Proverbs 5:21).

God is one; not only is there no other, but He is alone in being able to meet the deepest needs and longings of our hearts. God alone is worthy of our worship and devotion (Deuteronomy 6:4). God is righteous, meaning that God cannot and will not pass over wrongdoing. It is because of God’s righteousness and justice that, in order for our sins to be forgiven, Jesus had to experience God’s wrath when our sins were placed upon Him (Exodus 9:27; Matthew 27:45-46; Romans 3:21-26).

God is sovereign, meaning He is supreme. All of His creation put together cannot thwart His purposes (Psalm 93:1; 95:3; Jeremiah 23:20). God is spirit, meaning He is invisible (John 1:18; 4:24). God is a Trinity. He is three in one, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. God is truth, He will remain incorruptible and cannot lie (Psalm 117:2; 1 Samuel 15:29).

God is holy, separated from all moral defilement and hostile toward it. God sees all evil and it angers Him. God is referred to as a consuming fire (Isaiah 6:3; Habakkuk 1:13; Exodus 3:2, 4-5; Hebrews 12:29). God is gracious, and His grace includes His goodness, kindness, mercy, and love. If it were not for God’s grace, His holiness would exclude us from His presence. Thankfully, this is not the case, for He desires to know each of us personally (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 31:19; 1 Peter 1:3; John 3:16, 17:3).

Since God is an infinite Being, no human can fully answer this God-sized question, but through God’s Word, we can understand much about who God is and what He is like. May we all wholeheartedly continue to seek after Him (Jeremiah 29:13).

[Mary Naeem]

"أسلمه بيلاطس للصلب" - هذا القول فاتحة فصل جديد في حياة المسيح الأرضية، حمل فيه خطايا البشر ليكفّر عنها، فاقت فيه آلامه كثيراً جداً ما سبقها من الآلام التمهيدية. لقد حقق رؤساء اليهود ما أرادوه. وها هي الجماهير ترى هذا الذي أجرى المعجزات منهوك القوى، دامي الجراح. ها حمل اللّه الذي يرفع خطية العالم يسير ليُذبَح عن البشر، ويجتازُ أزقَّة مدينته حاملاً صليبه - المذبح - الذي سيُرفع عليه، كما حمل قديماً جدُّه إسحق الحطب المهيَّأ لحرْقه ذبيحةً إلى الجبل المقدس.

[Mary Naeem]

"وَبَعْدَ مَا اسْتَهْزَأُوا بِهِ، نَزَعُوا عَنْهُ الرِّدَاءَ وَأَلْبَسُوهُ ثِيَابَهُ، وَمَضَوْا بِهِ لِلصَّلْبِ. وَفِيمَا هُمْ خَارِجُونَ وَجَدُوا إِنْسَاناً قَيْرَوَانِيّاً اسْمُهُ سِمْعَانُ، فَسَخَّرُوهُ لِيَحْمِلَ صَلِيبَهُ. وَلَمَّا أَتَوْا إِلَى مَوْضِعٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ جُلْجُثَةُ، وَهُوَ الْمُسَمَّى "مَوْضِعَ الْجُمْجُمَةِ" أَعْطَوْهُ خَلاًّ مَمْزُوجاً بِمَرَارَةٍ لِيَشْرَبَ. وَلَمَّا ذَاقَ لَمْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يَشْرَبَ" (متى 27:31-34).

لا نغفل الأسباب التي ذهبت بقُوى المسيح الجسدية في هذا النهار، حتى سقط تحت حمل الصليب، فاضطر أصحاب الأمر أن يحمِّلوا صليبه لغيره. ولا نجهل ما للآلام الروحية من التأثير على قُوى الإِنسان الجسدية. وندرك أن هذه الآلام الروحية كانت أعظم بما لا يُقاس من الجسدية، ففي الساعات الأولى من يوم الجمعة هذا، مع الليل الذي تقدمها، حُرم المسيح من النوم كلياً، وسِيق مكتوفاً من البستان في جبل الزيتون إلى قصر رئيس الكهنة، ثم دار المحكمة، فقصر بيلاطس فقصر هيرودس، ثم قصر بيلاطس ثانية. والوقوفُ في المحاكمات الطويلة، واللطمُ المتكرر وما تعلَّق به، والجَلْدُ الذي لا نعلم مقداره مع ما نزف من دمٍ بسببه.. كل هذه جعلت قواه تخور.

[Mary Naeem]

"وَتَبِعَهُ جُمْهُورٌ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ الشَّعْبِ، وَالنِّسَاءِ اللَّوَاتِي كُنَّ يَلْطِمْنَ أَيْضاً وَيَنُحْنَ عَلَيْهِ. فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْهِنَّ يَسُوعُ وَقَالَ: "يَا بَنَاتِ أُورُشَلِيمَ، لَا تَبْكِينَ عَلَيَّ بَلِ ابْكِينَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُنَّ وَعَلَى أَوْلَادِكُنَّ، لِأَنَّهُ هُوَذَا أَيَّامٌ تَأْتِي يَقُولُونَ فِيهَا: طُوبَى لِلْعَوَاقِرِ وَالْبُطُونِ الَّتِي لَمْ تَلِدْ وَالثُّدِيِّ الَّتِي لَمْ تُرْضِعْ. حِينَئِذٍ يَبْتَدِئُونَ يَقُولُونَ لِلْجِبَالِ: اسْقُطِي عَلَيْنَا وَلِلْآكَامِ: غَطِّينَا. لِأَنَّهُ إِنْ كَانُوا بِالْعُودِ الرَّطْبِ يَفْعَلُونَ هذَا، فَمَاذَا يَكُونُ بِالْيَابِسِ؟". وَجَاءُوا أَيْضاً بِاثْنَيْنِ آخَرَيْنِ مُذْنِبَيْنِ لِيُقْتَلَا مَعَه" (لوقا 23:27-32).
تمسك بيلاطس إلى النهاية ببراءة المسيح. لكن لما أسلمه للصلب صار مُضطرّاً أن يبيّن أمام الجميع جريمةً تستوجب الصلْب، فلم يجد ذلك إلا بالتزوير. وفي هذا التزوير انتقم من اليهود بسبب ضغطهم عليه ليفعل ظلماً. وكتب "ملك اليهود". فصار العار على اليهود الذين صلب ملكهم، لذلك اعترض رؤساء الكهنة طالبين أن يغيّر الوالي هذا العنوان، حتى لا يكون المصلوب ملكهم، بل شخصاً قال إنه ملك اليهود. لكن بيلاطس أصرَّ على ما فعل. هذا الذي سأل استخفافاً: "ما هو الحق؟" خدم الحق وهو لا يدري.

[Mary Naeem]

يسبِّب موكبٌ كهذا تجمُّعاً عظيماً في أزقة المدينة وخارجها، فأخذ الحنان بعض النساء الكثيرات الواقفات لما رأين منظر المسيح المحزن، فأخذن ينُحْن بأصوات عالية ويلطِمْن على صدورهن، لا يخشين إظهار المواساة لهذا المغضوب عليه من رؤسائهن. ولما كان الرؤساء مطمئنِّين إلى انتصارهم، لم يبالوا بعمل النساء. واعترض المسيح على بكاء النساء - مع أن هذا البكاء كان الشيءَ الوحيد الذي يُعبّر عن مشاعر محبةٍ في ذلك اليوم. اعترض عليه مع أنه لم يعترض على شيء مما وقع عليه من معاملات عدائية، لأنه المحبُّ الصفوح. فلماذا يبكين عليه والبكاء على أنفسهن أوْلَى؟ إنه يرى ما لا يرَيْنه مما سيأتي عليهنّ وعلى أورشليم، مما يجعل الناسَ يطوِّبون الذين لا نْسلَ لهم، ويتمنُّون أن تسحقهم الجبال الشامخة تخلُّصاً من عذاباتٍ تجعل الموت رحمة لا نقمة، بسبب شدتها ومرارتها. فالتفت إليهم وقال: "يا بنات أورشليم لا تبكين عليّ، بل ابكين على أنفسكنّ وعلى أولادكن". وسألهنَّ هذا السؤال: "لقد سمحت العناية الإلهية للحاكم الروماني بأن يفعل كل هذا بإنسان هو كالعود الرطب، لأن حياة الصلاح فيه، فماذا يُنتظَر أن يفعل هؤلاء الرومان العتاة بعد حينٍ بصالبيه الظالمين الذين لا حياة صالحة فيهم، بل الذين يشبهون العود اليابس؟". لقد رأى المسيح ذلك اليوم الذي فيه تحل اللعنة على أورشليم وسكانها، حين تُنصَب الصلبان الكثيرة العدد، التي سيراها بعض سامعيه وقت خراب أورشليم، والمعلَّقون عليها هم صالبوه وعيالهم. لم تكن هنا حاجة لبكاء على شخص حقق ما يريد. صحيح أن المشاهدين رأوا المسيح في موقف الانكسار، وهو وحده علم ما لا يعلمه العالم: إن ذلك موقف الانتصار. فلا عجب أنه اعترض على بكائهم عليه.

[Mary Naeem]

لم يجبر أحدٌ أن يقبل ما فعله به أعداؤه. فليس موت المسيح موت شهيد، فالشهداء يُقتَلون على رغم إرادتهم، ولو استسلموا للموت دون إكراهٍ لكان ذلك افتخاراً. وهذا حرام.
لكنهم كانوا يريدون أن يعيشوا. نعم كانوا يريدون أكثر أن يُرضُوا اللّه، فلما اضطرهم مضطهدوهم للاختيار بين ترك الحياة وترك رضى اللّه، فضَّلوا الاستشهاد على مخالفة ما يطلبه اللّه منهم، ولكن لم تكن لهم قدرةٌ للتخلُّص من أعدائهم.