What Is God Really Like?

If knowing who God is shapes the way we pray, then what is God really like?

Well, God has many characteristics. He is all-knowing (omniscient), he is all-powerful (omnipotent), and he can be everywhere at the same time (omnipresent). The Bible tells us God is holy, just, kind, loving, and faithful.

And God is good. In fact, trust in his goodness is the basis for all prayer. If God is not a good God, then why would we expect him to answer our prayers? Why would we be motivated to pray to him at all?

The only reason there’s any good in the world is because God is the Creator of the world, and he is a good God. His goodness is in the universe. You can’t spell “good” without “God.” If there’s no God, then there is no right and wrong or good and bad.

People often ask, “Why is there evil in the world?” It’s simple: God doesn’t force us to do good. Evil exists because God gave us a free choice and we choose not to do good a lot of the time. Evil is really easy to explain. The hard thing to explain is why there is is any good in the world. In a world of brutal competition and so-called tough luck, the only reason there is good is because God is a good God.

Because God is always good, we can know certain things about prayer. When you understand these things because you understand how good God really is, you’re going to enjoy prayer. It won’t be a duty anymore. It will be a delight!