Question 11 in the Children’s Catechism asks, “Can you see God?” The answer is, “No–I cannot see God, but he can always see me.”
Many of God’s people have not been satisfied with this answer.
The disciples walked with Jesus, but they wanted more. They wanted to see the invisible God. Philip said to Jesus, “Show us the Father and that will be enough for us!” Jesus told them, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
We often seek to make God approachable, to reduce him to a size we can understand, under the auspices of enhancing our faith.
All believers are indwellt by God Himself through the Holy Spirit. He is always with us. Jesus told His disciples that it would be better for them to have the Holy Spirit than to continue to walk side by side with Him in the flesh. Yet we will not take Him at His word.
We still want God to reveal what He has chosen, in His holy wisdom, to keep hidden. We want to see God face to face, as we will see Him in glory. We flatter ourselves that an encounter with God would enhance our ability to praise Him. Yet even our desire to bring God down to our level reveals our sinfulness, as we would rob Him of His transcendence just to get a better look.
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