{"id":5556,"date":"2023-02-19T22:23:30","date_gmt":"2023-02-19T21:23:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/?page_id=5556"},"modified":"2025-12-09T20:04:40","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T19:04:40","slug":"wer-ist-gott-fuer-mich","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/glaubens-gedanken\/wer-ist-gott-fuer-mich\/","title":{"rendered":"Who is God for me"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='full_slider_1'  class='avia-fullwidth-slider main_color avia-shadow   avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_section  avia-builder-el-first   container_wrap fullsize'  ><div  class='avia-slideshow av-mdoho95q-81d32b775785a296b4ab65c8bb40f03a avia-slideshow-featured av_slideshow_full avia-slide-slider av-slideshow-ui av-control-default av-slideshow-manual av-loop-once av-loop-manual-endless av-default-height-applied   avia-slideshow-1' data-slideshow-options=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:false,&quot;loop_autoplay&quot;:&quot;once&quot;,&quot;interval&quot;:5,&quot;loop_manual&quot;:&quot;manual-endless&quot;,&quot;autoplay_stopper&quot;:false,&quot;noNavigation&quot;:false,&quot;bg_slider&quot;:false,&quot;keep_padding&quot;:false,&quot;hoverpause&quot;:false,&quot;show_slide_delay&quot;:0}\"  itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><ul class='avia-slideshow-inner' style='padding-bottom: 28.666666666667%;'><li  class='avia-slideshow-slide av-mdoho95q-81d32b775785a296b4ab65c8bb40f03a__0  av-single-slide slide-1 slide-odd'><div data-rel='slideshow-1' class='avia-slide-wrap'  title='Detail from picture person in the light' ><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-9066 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-9066\"  src=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Weg-Licht2-e1753791593994-1500x430.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"430\" title='Who is God' alt=''  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"   \/><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mbw0kxll-74a5acc97f88f1711c3ef88d4f5b8900\">\n.avia-section.av-mbw0kxll-74a5acc97f88f1711c3ef88d4f5b8900{\nbackground-color:#ffc300;\nbackground-image:unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_1'  class='avia-section av-mbw0kxll-74a5acc97f88f1711c3ef88d4f5b8900 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_slideshow_full  el_before_av_section  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-5556'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" 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itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><!--StartFragment --><\/p>\n<h2>What is my  image of God?<\/h2>\n<p>Before I can answer who God is for me,<br \/>\nI have to ask:<br \/>\n<strong>What is my  image of God?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Before sharing my thoughts on this topic,<br \/>\nI would like to invite you to ask yourself:<br \/>\n<strong>What image of the divine mystery \u2014conscious or unconscious\u2014do I carry within me?<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Two images of God \u2013 and their effect<\/h3>\n<p>I would like to offer two contrasting points of view.<\/p>\n<p>If I learned that God is indeed merciful,<br \/>\nbut he never forgets a mistake and his grace is unpredictable,<br \/>\nthat he lets some into heaven and denies entry to others,<br \/>\nand he judges them all after death, strictly and justly \u2013<br \/>\nthen it's creepy to read Psalm 139:<br \/>\n<strong>\u201cYou surround me on all sides, God.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If, on the other hand, I imagine God as a loving God,<br \/>\nwalking and growing alongside us,<br \/>\njudging with compassion and love even beyond death,<br \/>\nthen these words bring comfort:<br \/>\n<strong>\u201cGod, you surround me on all sides.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>What shapes our image of God?<\/h3>\n<p>Words from the Bible are often isolated and taken out of context,<br \/>\ndepending on what one believes or wishes to convey.<br \/>\nIn this way, different, even contradictory, images of God are passed on and shaped.<br \/>\nBut which of these come closest to God?<\/p>\n<p>To shed light on this chaos, I&#039;ve been thinking:<br \/>\nIf a book were missing \u2014 or a passage blacked out \u2014<br \/>\nWould the message I hear remain?<\/p>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-6a0c294c15722\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-6a0c294c15722\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c15722\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c15722\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <\/p>\n<p><strong>An example that is important to me:<br \/>\n<\/strong><em><strong>Is God against homosexuality?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>This opinion is supported by seven Bible passages. (see also: <a href=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/liebe\/homosexualitaet-und-christlicher-glaube\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Homosexuality \u2013 a problem<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>If those verses did not exist,<br \/>\nthere would be nothing in Scripture that condemns homosexuality.<br \/>\nOn the contrary: the diversity and integration of different people would be even more obvious.<\/p>\n<h3>God is love \u2014 and that endures<\/h3>\n<p>It is far harder to erase the statement <strong>\u201cGod is love\u201d<\/strong>,<br \/>\nbecause it appears again and again.<\/p>\n<p>These statements keep popping up.<br \/>\nThere are said to be more than 100 verses expressing this \u2014<br \/>\nand if you add expressions like mercy, kindness, forgiveness,<br \/>\nthe number is much higher.<\/p>\n<p>God\u2019s love runs like a thread through the entire Bible.<\/p>\n<p>Some examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cGod is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God, and God in him.\u201d<br \/>\n<em>(1 John 4:16)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u201cWalk in love, as Christ also loved us.\u201d<br \/>\n<em>(Ephesians 5:2)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u201cThis is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.\u201d<br \/>\n<em>(John 15:12)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>The double commandment of love:<br \/>\n\u201cYou shall love your God\u2026 and your neighbour as yourself.\u201d<br \/>\n<em>(Matthew 22, Mark 12, Luke 10)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>\u201cYHWH sends his loving kindness by day, and by night I sing to him.\u201d<br \/>\n<em>(Psalm 42:9)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>This is the God I can\u2014and want\u2014to believe in.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n<p><!--EndFragment --><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-c9d6gk-7d76d58d44e85cc0351aa3d773a9d9ac\">\n.flex_column.av-c9d6gk-7d76d58d44e85cc0351aa3d773a9d9ac{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-c9d6gk-7d76d58d44e85cc0351aa3d773a9d9ac av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding'     ><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mdoi5cbd-6c9d84a8e6e0561c62ff89aaebd196b1\">\n.avia-section.av-mdoi5cbd-6c9d84a8e6e0561c62ff89aaebd196b1{\nbackground-color:#fff8dc;\nbackground-image:unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_2'  class='avia-section av-mdoi5cbd-6c9d84a8e6e0561c62ff89aaebd196b1 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_section  el_before_av_section  avia-bg-style-scroll av-minimum-height av-minimum-height-10vw av-height-percent_width  container_wrap fullsize'   data-av_minimum_height_pc='10' data-av_min_height_opt='percent_width'><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div 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data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-8p0zas-1241eb2ba452ecf69cde355c67a97575\">\n.flex_column.av-8p0zas-1241eb2ba452ecf69cde355c67a97575{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-8p0zas-1241eb2ba452ecf69cde355c67a97575 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-8  el_before_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding'     ><div  class='avia-slideshow av-877wlg-ac41774e9b164f2a2ad28293b68bc1ac avia-slideshow-no scaling av_slideshow avia-slide-slider  avia-builder-el-9  avia-builder-el-no-sibling  av-slideshow-ui av-control-default av-slideshow-manual av-loop-once av-loop-manual-endless av-default-height-applied avia-slideshow-2' data-slideshow-options=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:false,&quot;loop_autoplay&quot;:&quot;once&quot;,&quot;interval&quot;:5,&quot;loop_manual&quot;:&quot;manual-endless&quot;,&quot;autoplay_stopper&quot;:false,&quot;noNavigation&quot;:false,&quot;bg_slider&quot;:false,&quot;keep_padding&quot;:false,&quot;hoverpause&quot;:false,&quot;show_slide_delay&quot;:0}\"  itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><ul class='avia-slideshow-inner' style='padding-bottom: 149.65517241379%;'><li  class='avia-slideshow-slide av-877wlg-ac41774e9b164f2a2ad28293b68bc1ac__0  av-single-slide slide-1 slide-odd'><div data-rel='slideshow-2' class='avia-slide-wrap'   ><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-521 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-521\"  src=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/feuer290.jpg\" width=\"290\" height=\"434\" title='Fire Light' alt='Mein Licht in der Welt'  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/feuer290.jpg 290w, https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/feuer290-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 290px) 100vw, 290px\" \/><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-4lr73o-832e6517f040b3e35a3bc705c17e18ed\">\n.flex_column.av-4lr73o-832e6517f040b3e35a3bc705c17e18ed{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-4lr73o-832e6517f040b3e35a3bc705c17e18ed av_one_half  avia-builder-el-10  el_after_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-239ql0-0407aedca1b59c90682a95965910f9cf'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>Who is God to me?<\/h3>\n<p><strong>And: Is God present only in one form or how can we envision this?<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>The three faces of God<\/h2>\n<p>translated from: Paul Smith<em>: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/sonstiges\/literatur\/\"><em>Is your God Big enough \u2013 close enough \u2013 You Enough?<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Five travelers who had long been searching for God found themselves at the same inn one evening. They introduced themselves as they sat in the foyer in front of the warmth of a huge rustic fireplace.<\/p>\n<p>The first traveler said, &quot;I seek the creative principle of the universe, an infinite spirit. I am a spiritual, but not a religious person.&quot; When the question came, &quot;Where is God right now?&quot; this person opened his hands upward and said, &quot;Beyond me.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The second traveler said, &quot;I have found something different. I feel that God is a presence close to me. God is with me all the time, like an intimate friend.&quot; When the question came, &quot;Where is God right now?&quot; she said, &quot;Right here, beside me,&quot; and folded her hands in prayer.<\/p>\n<p>The third traveler said, &quot;I have come to a different conclusion. I have discovered that God is within us. God is my deepest inner self. I am a part of God.&quot; When asked, &quot;Where is God?&quot; he replied, &quot;Within me, as myself,&quot; and embraced himself with his arms and hands over his heart.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-6a0c294c184e1\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-6a0c294c184e1\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c184e1\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c184e1\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <\/p>\n<p>The fourth traveler, aware of these three completely different claims about ultimate reality, said, &quot;I&#039;ve decided to stop looking for God anywhere. If wise and sincere people like you three can&#039;t agree, then it seems to me that none of you is right. God is nowhere.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The fifth traveler remained silent for a moment. Then she said, &quot;I, too, have explored different paths. They often seemed incompatible and irreconcilable.&quot; She looked at the fourth traveler and said, &quot;However, I have come to a different conclusion than you. I don&#039;t believe that if these three others here can&#039;t agree, they are all wrong. Instead, I think they are all right, including you!&quot; She looked at everyone and said, &quot;God is beyond us and ultimately nowhere. God is also beside us as our dearest friend, our dearest friend, and God is also within us; God is our being, our deepest self.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mbw0ns5e-5680349df188e58028c99e9b3348c794\">\n.avia-section.av-mbw0ns5e-5680349df188e58028c99e9b3348c794{\nbackground-color:#fff8dc;\nbackground-image:unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_4'  class='avia-section av-mbw0ns5e-5680349df188e58028c99e9b3348c794 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-12  el_after_av_section  el_before_av_section  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-5556'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class='flex_column_table av-mbw0t5dy-52dcdd9943dfe102f2f08908d04784d8 sc-av_one_half av-equal-height-column-flextable'>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mbw0t5dy-52dcdd9943dfe102f2f08908d04784d8\">\n.flex_column.av-mbw0t5dy-52dcdd9943dfe102f2f08908d04784d8{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-mbw0t5dy-52dcdd9943dfe102f2f08908d04784d8 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-13  el_before_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-middle av-zero-column-padding'     ><div  class='avia-slideshow av-mbw0bwpc-17-03ef6ffecae2fc54dba21257bfa3b8b2 avia-slideshow-no scaling av_slideshow avia-slide-slider  avia-builder-el-14  avia-builder-el-no-sibling  av-slideshow-ui av-control-default av-slideshow-manual av-loop-once av-loop-manual-endless av-default-height-applied avia-slideshow-3' data-slideshow-options=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:false,&quot;loop_autoplay&quot;:&quot;once&quot;,&quot;interval&quot;:5,&quot;loop_manual&quot;:&quot;manual-endless&quot;,&quot;autoplay_stopper&quot;:false,&quot;noNavigation&quot;:false,&quot;bg_slider&quot;:false,&quot;keep_padding&quot;:false,&quot;hoverpause&quot;:false,&quot;show_slide_delay&quot;:0}\"  itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><ul class='avia-slideshow-inner' style='padding-bottom: 135.66666666667%;'><li  class='avia-slideshow-slide av-mbw0bwpc-17-03ef6ffecae2fc54dba21257bfa3b8b2__0  av-single-slide slide-1 slide-odd'><div data-rel='slideshow-3' class='avia-slide-wrap'   ><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-1704 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-1704\"  src=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Parament-Laer-von-Claudia-Brunke-Gregory.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"407\" title='Parament Laer by Claudia Brunke-Gregory' alt=''  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Parament-Laer-von-Claudia-Brunke-Gregory.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Parament-Laer-von-Claudia-Brunke-Gregory-221x300.jpg 221w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class='av-flex-placeholder'><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-feaohg-fbff34db6880002ebcc92d6d3ceaf0f4\">\n.flex_column.av-feaohg-fbff34db6880002ebcc92d6d3ceaf0f4{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-feaohg-fbff34db6880002ebcc92d6d3ceaf0f4 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-15  el_after_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-middle av-zero-column-padding'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mcdeq0q1-49fbaa177bec6fbabef11101b8df3a1f'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3><strong>Who or what is God \u2013 to me?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This question is less about God himself than about me. What is my idea of God? What is your idea of God? How does spirituality affect your life?<\/p>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-6a0c294c1a800\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-6a0c294c1a800\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1a800\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1a800\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <\/p>\n<p>You might say, \"God does not exist because God cannot be proven.\" But are love, energy, freedom, or the meaning of life truly provable? Not always\u2014and yet they provide support, strength, and meaning. They carry values by which we can orient ourselves.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Doubts and transformations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Then come doubts. Disappointments. Moments when life seems - or truly is - unfair. That happens more often than we might wish.<br \/>\nPerhaps you will then say: \"Now I no longer believe in God.\" But I ask: What image of God did you previously believe in, that you now feel you must throw away God \u2013 and with him your whole faith?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Don't stop exploring your spirituality.<\/strong><br \/>\nDoubt is human. It challenges us to examine our perspective and perhaps to reshape it.\u201c<\/p>\n<p>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n<p><strong>Images of God<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We need images to explain the world to us and to connect with others. Images help us grow, and they change over time\u2014through experiences, through life itself.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-6a0c294c1a85a\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-6a0c294c1a85a\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1a85a\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1a85a\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                 The Bible states: &quot;I am YHVH your God. You shall not make for yourself an image of me.&quot; But people immediately form an image, simply because of the translation: &quot;I am the LORD your God.&quot; Thus, God was portrayed as an old, white man with a beard. For centuries, many people automatically defined God as exclusively male\u2014a notion that falls far short.<\/p>\n<p>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n<p><strong>The Trinity<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My spiritual director always said: \u201cI am happy to be a Christian because this is how I believe in the Trinity:<\/p>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-6a0c294c1a8d2\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-6a0c294c1a8d2\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1a8d2\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1a8d2\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>God as Creator \u2013 the power that can be felt in nature.<\/li>\n<li>Jesus Christ as a human being \u2013 one who knows suffering and joy, who accompanies us.<\/li>\n<li>The Holy Spirit \u2013 the light within us that touches, moves, and carries us.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And so I always have access to one aspect of God\u2014even if I sometimes lack access to the others. Sometimes I sense God&#039;s creative power in nature, sometimes it&#039;s Jesus who is close to me\u2014and sometimes I need the light of the Holy Spirit.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n<p><strong>God&#039;s self-description<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>What touches me most is how God describes himself in the Bible. When Moses asks him his name, he says:<br \/>\n\u201c\u05d0\u05b6\u05d4\u05b0\u05d9\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b6\u05d4\u05b0\u05d9\u05b6\u05d4\u201d \u2013 \u201cI am who\/that I am.\u201d Or: \u201cI will be who I will be.\u201d or: \u201cI am that which is.\u201d<br \/>\nNo gender. No fixed form. A being and a becoming.<\/p>\n<p>I searched and asked myself: What can God mean for me? I found an answer in the &quot;Three Faces of God,&quot; as described by Marion and Tiki K\u00fcstenmacher, Til Haberer, and Paul Smith.<br \/>\n(The Three Faces of God can be read, among others, by Marion and Tiki K\u00fcstenmacher \/ Til Haberer in GOTT 9.0., this article refers to it. and by Smith, Paul: Is your God Big enough \u2013 close enough \u2013 You Enough?)<\/p>\n<p>Curious? Then read on!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><\/div><!--close column table wrapper. Autoclose: 1 --><\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mbw0ns5e-16-e369b064f69d52beac720328402f7408\">\n.avia-section.av-mbw0ns5e-16-e369b064f69d52beac720328402f7408{\nbackground-color:#ffc300;\nbackground-image:unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_5'  class='avia-section av-mbw0ns5e-16-e369b064f69d52beac720328402f7408 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-17  el_after_av_section  el_before_av_section  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-5556'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class='flex_column_table av-feaohg-13-734f29c2e751e652c62403a97c65e00a sc-av_one_third av-equal-height-column-flextable'>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-feaohg-13-734f29c2e751e652c62403a97c65e00a\">\n.flex_column.av-feaohg-13-734f29c2e751e652c62403a97c65e00a{\nborder-width:2px;\nborder-color:#fff8dc;\nborder-style:solid;\nborder-radius:10px 10px 10px 10px;\npadding:20px 20px 20px 20px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-feaohg-13-734f29c2e751e652c62403a97c65e00a av_one_third  avia-builder-el-18  el_before_av_one_third  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mcdfs86b-8c07da35ef2ef7e53ac62d6b5ab1f549'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">The FIRST face of God<\/h3>\n<p>The FIRST face of God is the I AM. The first face of God reveals the divine essence that exists within every human being\u2014in you, in me. It&#039;s about the fact that God is not only outside of us, but also works within us.<\/p>\n<p>We are created in the image of God, and God is also in us.<\/p>\n<p>I am created in the image of God, God is in me.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-6a0c294c1b17f\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-6a0c294c1b17f\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1b17f\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1b17f\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <\/p>\n<p>This divine presence is also evident in my breath. In every breath I take, there is also God, the life that fills us. The Bible says that God breathed the breath of life into mankind. Inhaling is the first thing we do when we are born; exhaling is the last thing we do when we die.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus said: <em>\u201cI am the light of the world.\u201d <\/em>And at the same time: <em>\u201cYou are the light of the world.\u201d <\/em>With this, he makes it clear: God&#039;s light shines in each of us, not just some of us. We are all children of God, and God&#039;s light shines in us so that we too can shine.<\/p>\n<p>This unity can be consciously experienced in the unio mystica, a deep spiritual experience, or even a peak experience.<br \/>\nWhen I am aware that the sacred is within me, it can help me to treat myself and others with care and love. The fact that the divine mystery is within me makes me great\u2014but it also challenges me to grow, to mature, and to develop further.             <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class='av-flex-placeholder'><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-hgc10-7bee0488cea0fb34f2765e0304879ad0\">\n.flex_column.av-hgc10-7bee0488cea0fb34f2765e0304879ad0{\nborder-width:2px;\nborder-color:#fff8dc;\nborder-style:solid;\nborder-radius:10px 10px 10px 10px;\npadding:20px 20px 20px 20px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-hgc10-7bee0488cea0fb34f2765e0304879ad0 av_one_third  avia-builder-el-20  el_after_av_one_third  el_before_av_one_third  flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-13pm-11-05f760cf07d7f829f251fabf6a293e7e'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>The SECOND Face of God<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The second face of God is the one who walks beside us, close to us.<br \/>\nGod as a presence to which we surrender ourselves. In the Lord&#039;s Prayer, in the all-loving, eternal One. In Jesus Christ. In the Mother of God.<br \/>\nGod as you is approachable \u2013 in prayer with thanks, requests, praise, and doubts. God as Jesus Christ, who accompanies us, is at our side, in need and in joy. Jesus Christ, with whom we can speak as with a brother or friend. God who never leaves us alone.<br \/>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-6a0c294c1b68a\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-6a0c294c1b68a\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1b68a\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1b68a\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                 Understanding God as this infinite You does not make us dependent, but free.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, it is good to take time to meditate, to become still and to imagine: What if the divine mystery were here with me in this room now?<\/p>\n<p>The second face of God is revealed not only in the personal relationship with God, but also in the encounter with others.<br \/>\nIn the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ says: \u201c<span data-huuid=\"5490620419331705725\">Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The second face of God is revealed in a person who is like an angel to us, or in a person from whom we can learn, or in a person whom we can support.<br \/>\nWe also encounter God in man.             <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class='av-flex-placeholder'><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-1zbuk4-a9503c7311bfa97702832544c198c8ec\">\n.flex_column.av-1zbuk4-a9503c7311bfa97702832544c198c8ec{\nborder-width:2px;\nborder-color:#fff8dc;\nborder-style:solid;\nborder-radius:10px 10px 10px 10px;\npadding:20px 20px 20px 20px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-1zbuk4-a9503c7311bfa97702832544c198c8ec av_one_third  avia-builder-el-22  el_after_av_one_third  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mcdes8rv-c462a1f28ef96f8a1901bfa89f871254'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>The THIRD Face of God<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>God is beyond us, transcending us. God is creation, in creation, in nature, in the beauty of being, in the universe, in the cosmos, in the emerging power. Here we can experience the divine mystery when we feel: We are one. Nicholas of Cusa, for example, writes: &quot;In God, everything that is is folded. God is the unfolding of everything. He is in things in such a way that all things are in him.&quot;<br \/>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-6a0c294c1bb7f\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-6a0c294c1bb7f\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1bb7f\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-6a0c294c1bb7f\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <\/p>\n<p><strong>God beyond us<\/strong> This is the transcendent, all-encompassing divine reality. It refers to the universal, incomprehensible being of God, which stands above all. It is the being we perceive as the Creator, which transcends everything, perhaps also an energy, an energy of love, intangible, intangible. In some religions or spiritual thought, this third face of God is also referred to as universal love or divine mystery. Distant and yet close, in joy, in wonder, and in pain. I live in God&#039;s world. It surrounds me.<\/p>\n<p>The Third Face of God can be experienced by many and unites many religions.             <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><\/div><!--close column table wrapper. Autoclose: 1 -->\n<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mbw0lfc0-9-cd0c20a631fbcbf82092761ce20a34d1\">\n.avia-section.av-mbw0lfc0-9-cd0c20a631fbcbf82092761ce20a34d1{\nbackground-color:#fff8dc;\nbackground-image:unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_6'  class='avia-section av-mbw0lfc0-9-cd0c20a631fbcbf82092761ce20a34d1 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-24  el_after_av_section  avia-builder-el-last  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-5556'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-6xzthg-9034e457387e4bce6fab477278a7be55\">\n.flex_column.av-6xzthg-9034e457387e4bce6fab477278a7be55{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-6xzthg-9034e457387e4bce6fab477278a7be55 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-25  el_before_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding'     ><div  class='avia-slideshow av-mbw0bwpc-8-f5539af1391f822fcf7961bfdabcdc3b avia-slideshow-no scaling av_slideshow avia-slide-slider  avia-builder-el-26  avia-builder-el-no-sibling  av-slideshow-ui av-control-default av-slideshow-manual av-loop-once av-loop-manual-endless av-default-height-applied avia-slideshow-4' data-slideshow-options=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:false,&quot;loop_autoplay&quot;:&quot;once&quot;,&quot;interval&quot;:5,&quot;loop_manual&quot;:&quot;manual-endless&quot;,&quot;autoplay_stopper&quot;:false,&quot;noNavigation&quot;:false,&quot;bg_slider&quot;:false,&quot;keep_padding&quot;:false,&quot;hoverpause&quot;:false,&quot;show_slide_delay&quot;:0}\"  itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><ul class='avia-slideshow-inner' style='padding-bottom: 64.444444444444%;'><li  class='avia-slideshow-slide av-mbw0bwpc-8-f5539af1391f822fcf7961bfdabcdc3b__0  av-single-slide slide-1 slide-odd'><div data-rel='slideshow-4' class='avia-slide-wrap'   ><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-3494 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-3494\"  src=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Elefant.jpg\" width=\"720\" height=\"464\" title='elephant' alt=''  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Elefant.jpg 720w, https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Elefant-300x193.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Elefant-705x454.jpg 705w, https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Elefant-450x290.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mbw0o19x-7-caf0b495821ac902e7f4c19045c74e61\">\n.flex_column.av-mbw0o19x-7-caf0b495821ac902e7f4c19045c74e61{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-mbw0o19x-7-caf0b495821ac902e7f4c19045c74e61 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-27  el_after_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-13pm-4-8f7229fb7d3cc4d10b984fcf34d0a9c0'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3><strong>God is more than you think<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Isn&#039;t it wonderful to know that God cannot be limited to a single concept, a single manifestation? God is greater, wider, closer, deeper, and different than we can imagine.<\/p>\n<p>Ifeel, that God walks with us \u2013 and develops with us.<\/p>\n<p>And with the three faces of God, I too can develop and move forward.<\/p>\n<p>God in creation and in the cosmos \u2013 often further than I thought.<br \/>\nGod as YOU \u2013 often closer than I expected<br \/>\nGod in me \u2013 often stronger and more intimate than I felt or believed myself capable of.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps you&#039;d like to explore this perspective, too? Or continue your own search?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"parent":8,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5556","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5556","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5556"}],"version-history":[{"count":54,"href":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5556\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9811,"href":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5556\/revisions\/9811"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5556"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}