A number of years ago, actually in 1985, a best picture award was given to a film called “A Room with a View.”  it was first a book, penned in 1908 by E M Forster about the culture in Edwardian England, it was a film about a young lady who went to stay in Florence, Italy.   Her stay was in a room with no view; the room was in fact a shadow of her own life.   The film dealt with freedom from institutional religion, growing up, true love, freedom on many levels; it was a romantic optimistic book.    The main character Lucy, during her stay in Italy saw her views of the world change dramatically, as her eyes were opened to a world beyond the “protected life in a Windy Corner”.    OK after saying all that, I admit I never saw the film nor had any desire to see it, as a 20 something young man living in Wales this was not the sort of movie we watched at the time.    This film/book is not the point of this blog either.

How ever I do want to use the thoughts presented and for those of you who know me you will have heard me say time and time again, YOUR VIEW OF GOD DETERMINES HOW WELL YOU LIVE.   It is my strong belief that our freedom, empowerment of life, even my view of myself, is all wrapped up there.   I would even go as far as to say that the way the bible is written is much more about introducing us to a view of God and bringing our world view in line with himself.      The way I see God and the function of his abode is the way that my life gets transformed.    In other words the room of my, life is give a view, a view of God, which radically transforms me.

I am convinced that the Scriptures continually continues to enlarge our view of God, who God is and how God works towards creation, while we are so often a people who reduce God down to our view.   We so often speak of God and present the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in a way that we need, for us.   God becomes consumed by a consumer society, always there like a spare tire only used when we have a need, God is presented to be consumed feed me, touch me, it’s all about us, we present God that way, even on occasions presenting God  as a harsh judge, a heavy-handed parent,  yet God wants us to find our view and experience of heaven being aligned with his view and nature.

John tells us in John 1:18 (NASB) that “…he cane to explain the Father” and when the disciples said to Jesus, show us the Father Jesus replied by saying “…who ever has seen me has seen the Father…” I have explained God correctly.    We are still trying to deal with Jesus’ view of gender, his view of leadership, his view of life and what is important in his ‘explanational’ life style.

God, Son and Holy Spirit are ceaselessly lifting us out of room with no view and bringing us to a view of him, which will bring liberty at every level.    My encouragement is to visit your view of God, declare your view and see your liberty increase.    The following list, or glimpses of God i present, are to stimulate you to re think and reconsider the view you have, my hope is  it will  enlarge your view.

While I see that Gods nature, essence, is in two things light and love is necessary that form these two essences we discover the characteristic that God has been determined to be known by and through

I present a number of characteristics which by far are never conclusive but are simply a part of our journey, I write because I have a strong belief that our freedom and liberty is all tied up here with our view of God, it is not in the miracle, or the sign and wonder we live life through, although they are all wonderful, but it is in my view of God that  a revelatory  change takes place and we are freed so lets be free!

MERCY

J.I. Packer once wrote, ‘Knowing God is a relationship calculated to thrill a man’s heart.’ Certainly it has thrilled the hearts of many through the years.  Gathered here are in following article under “A Room with a View” are some observations my prayer is that your room will have in it that which will bring you out into the wide open places of Gods invitation    I trust you will come upon fresh views on the nature of God, pause to worship him & express your love for Him, the more we know of Him, the more we will love Him.

The self-portrait of His mercy, which God painted for Moses when He declared Himself on Mount Sinai, imprinted itself deeply on the consciousness of God’s people and inspired the faith of future generations of Israelite believers. We find in the following words describing God’s mercy recalled often throughout the Old Testament and at crucial times in people’s lives they are anchored and motivated by these truths in a way that deeply affects their responses to difficulty, failure, and success.

When God’s people are in trouble, needy, or under attack, what do they call to mind? “But you, O LORD, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Ps. 86:15). 

When they are moved to celebrate, what do they sing about? “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love” (Ps. 145:8). 

When God has granted them success, as in the amazing exploit of rebuilding in Nehemiah, they are kept humble by an overwhelming sense of God’s mercy. They had been stubborn and rebellious, stiff-necked and disobedient; “But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them, or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God” (Neh. 9:31). 

It is impossible to read Ezra’s great prayer in Nehemiah 9 without seeing how deeply the conviction of God’s mercy had touched and influenced his thinking. His response to success was rooted in the truths about God’s mercy. ” . . . But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them” (Neh. 9:17). 

There is nothing that can keep us humble like this sense of God’s mercy. It is the great antidote to pride, for pride and a deep awareness of God’s mercy simply cannot coexist.

SO where is God’s mercy for you seen and felt, what action and in what direction of your life can you stop and shout our it is his mercy in evidence at work in my life.    My view of life is coloured and contoured by this great mercy of God towards me.    The exploits we do, the achievement we experience O the great mercy of God.   The challenges we encounter the sadness that comes our way O the great Mercy of God.   Stop for a moment and watch the mercy of God at work.

To come  Glorious, Father, Transcendent, Just, Loving, Redeemer, Mysterious, Good, Holy, Beautiful, Servant, Unchanging