images of God

Over the Good Friday/Easter weekend I was thinking about the images we have of God and Jesus. Most of us, at least not until the book The Shack came out really had an image of the Holy Spirit. I wonder how often our images of God have become idols that allow us to keep God small so we can do our own thing and not feel as guilty as we need to, guilty enough to do the repentance thing and actually allow the Holy Spirit to change us, transform us into who we are called to be.
I wrestle with this. I read about the 'Ancient of Days' in Daniel and am filled with awe and wonder at the image we're given of this patriarch who is dressed in clothing white as snow and hair white like wool. His throne is even more amazing as it flames with fire and its wheels are all blazing with fire. Then there's that river of fire that flows out from in front of him and I go, "Wow! so cool!" This is an image of power, but as I embrace this image of God, I pass over who God is besides just a powerful eastern patriarch, that he's also like a mother hen, that he's an artist and a physician, the king and judge, but also father and friend. When I embrace an image of God I tend to make him less; more my size, someone I can handle and shape in my own image.
God tells us not to make idols and I wonder if our images of God or Jesus become mental idols. This is dangerous because our image of who God is shapes how we interpret Scripture and how we live with others. Look at how thinking about Jesus as a handsome man with blondish hair and blue eyes made, and makes, it easier to justify such evils as apartheid or anti-Semitism. Seeing God as a kindly father figure with white hair and a bit of a paunch allows us to believe that God would never really punish us for doing something wrong, after-all, his job is to forgive us right? Would this kind of a fatherly-like God really want us to carry a cross and experience suffering? This then gives us permission that when anything causes us pain, we can do almost anything to numb the pain, or to run away from the things that hurt and are hard, instead of learning how to handle these things with wisdom, grace, perseverance, and so learn character and what it means to be more like Jesus in suffering and pain.
The remedy to using images of God as a way to keep him small is to read all of the Bible, not just the parts that make us feel good or tell us what we want to hear. It means really listening to everything that Jesus taught, not just the blessings parts, but also the 'carry your cross' and 'forgiving' parts. As you fill your mind with all the images of God the Bible reveals to us, you will learn that God is always much bigger, more complex, and less tame than you could ever have imagined. It will give you the freedom to simply trust is a really big God who, for some reason way beyond our comprehension, chose to have a relationship with us.
Learn to rest in the mystery of God and life will become richer and more awe-inspiring that you could ever have thought before.