Let me tell you a story. Long back, more than 3500 years back, in the Egyptian deserts lived a man named Moses. He was raised up in a king’s home. To be precise, he was being groomed to be the next Pharaoh. There came a point in his life when he had to toss away his education, his wealth and all of his future and run for his life. He had risked his future because he had a moment of passionate anger. Eventually he had adjusted himself to a life in the background of mediocrity. He withdrew from public life and settled in obscurity. He had become a common man, living an ordinary life. One day he was tending his sheep on a hill. The incident is narrated in the book named Exodus in the Bible.

It was a common day that turned out to be extraordinary for him. God appeared before him. He saw the glory of God in a burning bush. The bush was not getting ravaged by the fire. And the voice came that spoke to him. God said he wanted to use him to set his people free. That is the moment Moses asked the question which we are discussing today. “Who are you, God?” I believe almost all of us have asked this question at some point in our life. Quite often we ask it within our hearts. More often than not we also ask this question in some other words, “Is there really a God?” “Are the gods we hear about in religion truly the God?” “Who causes all this to occur, or is it all just an accident?”

It appears that human heart is designed to ask this question. Some people think that this God thing is only for those who are struggling. Often it is quoted that ‘The religion is a crutch for weak-minded people.” We will discuss the subject of ‘religion’ a bit later, but let me tell you about some strong and successful people who have discovered their longing for the same answer. Bible records the famous St Paul asking this same question when he was thrown down from his horse at a miraculous encounter with God. “Who are you, Lord?” Paul was an educated, rich and successful person. He was a leader and a public speaker. He would possibly be one of the top most philosophers from the first millennium who has had a profound impact over the modern society. He was pretty confident and was not seemingly searching for any answers. In fact he was a maverick and he was on a mission to arrest and beat anyone and everyone who disagreed with his ideas about God. In a public event of a rock show once, Elvis Presley broke down on stage and confessed his craving for God and meaning of life. He said once, “All I want is to know the truth, to know and experience God. I’m a searcher, that’s what I’m all about.” You may research stories about people like Charles Darwin, Abraham Lincon, Sadhu Sunder Singh, Ravi Zachariah, C. S. Lewis…. The list of such individuals goes on and on.

Now some may say, “I do not need to ask this question. I have my religion. My religion tells me about God.” Before I address this, let me share with you a funny comparison between science, philosophy and religion :

Science is when you search for a black cat in a dark room. Philosophy is when you search for a black cat in a dark room even though the room contains no cat. Religion is when you search for a black cat in a dark room even though the room contains no cat – and then you suddenly exclaim „I've found the cat!“

So religion does not have a capability to introduce us to God. Yes, religion tries to tell us about him. But where do those ideas originally come from? It is almost like a computer trying to explain man to another computer about. Knowing God is not same as knowing about God. God is living. God is too big for man. God is bigger and deeper than the reach of human mind. If human mind tries to invent God, then that god becomes too small. Religion presents to man that small version of God which is easier to put into a box. But that is not the way to quench the hunger for God. If your heart cries to know God, go on. Look up, ask it, ask it again, “Who are you, God?” The good news is – He is alive, He listens, He wants you to ask, He wants to meet you, He wants you to know Him.  You will find Him. You will find a living relationship with a living God. He has a name. We will talk about it as we go on.

Q. What if someone doesn’t believe in that God exists? Or if someone feels satisfied with the answers his religion gives?

A. Atheist says that there is no God.

Antitheist hates God. Agnostics believe that one cannot know God. But deep within them there is an insatiable hunger. You may try to deny it. You may try to quench it with money, relationships and drugs or anything else you make up. Psalmist called it a deer longing for water. That is a pointer for all of us, from God. We can talk about what prodigal son felt when he was faraway. We can talk about our own stories. Its like a computer which is hung. Its working, but lacks sense of purpose.

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