In The Margins

by Justan Borth

When I was growing up, I was convinced my parents knew everything. I would sit in awe of their knowledge — how they could read and write, drive a car, or cook an entire meal without burning it. As a kid, I never wanted to sit at the “kids’ table” during family gatherings. I wanted to be in the other room, listening in on all the “grown-up” conversations.

Now that I’m older, I’ve gained some of that knowledge myself. I can drive, I love to read, and I get to sit at the adult table (unless they kick me out 😄). Over time, I’ve learned more and more, but I’ve also realized something humbling — the more I know, the more I see how much I don’t know. For every piece of knowledge I gain, there seems to be an endless sea of things I have yet to understand.

That reality, however, is not true of God. He knows everything — past, present, and future — all at once. This attribute of God is called omniscience.

As humans, we can learn and understand things (this is a communicable attribute of God), but we can never know allthings as He does (that’s incommunicable — meaning it belongs only to Him).

Wayne Grudem defines God’s omniscience as this:

“God fully knows himself and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act.”

That one sentence holds a lot of weight. Let’s break it down a bit:

• “Fully knows himself.” God is infinite, beyond our comprehension, yet He completely understands His own nature — something no human could ever do.
• “All things actual.” God knows everything that exists or ever has existed — every moment of the past, every detail of the present, and everything still to come.
• “All things possible.” God even knows what could have happened. Every possible outcome, every “what if,” exists fully within His knowledge and sovereignty. Nothing is outside His awareness.
• “In one simple and eternal act.” God doesn’t learn new things or gain knowledge over time. He has always known everything — instantly, completely, and eternally.

It’s hard to wrap our minds around, isn’t it? Even as I write this, I find it difficult to comprehend the full depth of God’s knowledge. And honestly, that’s the point. We shouldn’t be able to fully understand Him — He’s God! His vast knowledge reminds us of our own limits and draws us to worship the One who truly knows all things.

So, how should this change the way we live?

First, we can rejoice in the gift of knowledge. God created us with minds that can learn, think, and explore. Every discovery — every scientific breakthrough, every new skill, every “aha!” moment — is a reflection of His creative nature at work in us.

Second, we can rest in His omniscience. Whatever you’re walking through, God already knows. Nothing catches Him off guard. When we feel uncertain or overwhelmed, we can take comfort in this truth: we might be surprised — but God never is.

Reflective Questions

Where in your life do you feel unsure, anxious, or confused — and how does knowing that God already understands every detail bring you comfort or confidence?

In what areas do you try to rely on your own understanding instead of trusting God’s perfect knowledge? What would it look like to surrender those areas to Him?

What is something new you’ve learned recently — in school, in Scripture, or in life — and how does that spark gratitude for the way God created your mind to grow and understand?

Further Reading: Psalm 139

by Mitchell Morris

A.W. Tozer once famously wrote that “what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us” (The Knowledge of the Holy). His point is that the way we think about God will have a major impact on how we relate to Him and how we live our lives. So, how would you answer that question? When you think about God, what comes to mind? More specifically, how do you imagine God? What does He look like? Take a moment to think about your answers to these questions before reading on.

While there are many ways that people might picture God, the theologically correct answer is that He doesn’t look like anything. He is invisible, or unable to be seen. Because “God is spirit” (John 4:24), “no one has ever seen or can see” Him (1 Timothy 6:16). He is infinite, eternal, and the source of all other existence, and yet He is invisible. He is a purely spiritual being, which means that He is not made up of any matter whatsoever.

This is a very difficult thing to wrap our minds around and can easily leave us with questions. Why does God exist in this way? Why is He purely spiritual and invisible? Wouldn’t it be better if we could see Him? While much mystery remains, what we can know for sure is that this is the most excellent, real, true, and beautiful existence imaginable. God’s spiritual, invisible existence is superior in every way to all created things that exist. This is why attempting to create a physical image of Him is prohibited because it inevitably limits and misrepresents the infinite God (Exodus 20:4).

But there’s more to be said. Although the fullness of who God is can never be seen, He is incredibly gracious and generous to reveal Himself to us partially in many visible ways. In addition to His creation revealing aspects of His character, we have many stories in the Bible of God making parts of Himself known in ways that people can see or experience. Read Exodus 33 to see the example of Moses.

But no revelation of God compares to how He has revealed Himself to us in His Son, Jesus Christ. “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3). The apostle Paul goes so far as to call Him “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Jesus Himself said it this way: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus.

So what does all of this mean for us? As we approach Christmas, this should increase our worship as we consider how the invisible God made Himself like us, taking on flesh and bone so that we could see Him, touch Him, and know Him. We also get to look forward with great anticipation to the day when Jesus returns – we will be with the Lord, worship Him, and in some way actually see Him (Revelation 22:3-4).

Lastly, this is considered a communicable attribute of God, which means that He in some ways shares it with us. What exactly does that mean? We too are spiritual beings. We are created by God with both a physical and spiritual nature (1 Thessalonians 5:23). So there is a part of you that is also invisible. The Holy Spirit actually connects with our spirits to assure us of our identity as God’s children (Romans 8:16). We are called by God to pray, worship, and grow both spiritually and mentally/physically (1 Corinthians 14:15, 1 Timothy 4:7-8). As Jesus said, “the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23).

“To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” – 1 Timothy 1:17

Reflection Questions:

• How have you typically imagined God? How does this attribute of God inform or challenge that?
• How often do you think of yourself as a spiritual being? Why is this important for your life and relationship with God?
• This Christmas season, how can you focus on worshipping “in spirit and truth”?

Further Reading: Exodus 33

I (Justan) hope that these past few weeks exploring God’s incommunicable attributes—the qualities that belong to Him alone—have helped you better grasp His greatness and glory. When we talk about His unchangeableness, His omnipresence, or His “everywhen,” it should fill us with awe and reverence. But it should also remind us of something equally important: we are not God.

God has made Himself known to us, but He will never be fully comprehended by us. There will always be mystery—and honestly, that’s part of what makes Him God.

I find this the most true when I try to understand and wrap my head around the concept of God’s omnipotence.
The Gospel Coalition defines omnipotence as God’s “complete and total control over everything.”

Isaiah 55:11 says:

“So is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

That means when God speaks, it happens. His words always fulfill His purpose—completely and perfectly. Just think about that for a moment: God does what He wants, and it happens.

Now, there’s a common misunderstanding about this attribute. People sometimes say “God can do anything,” but that’s not exactly true. The Bible actually tells us there are some things God cannot do—and that’s a good thing.

He cannot lie (Titus 1:2), and He cannot act immorally. Since God is perfectly good and holy, He can’t do anything evil. He also can’t do things that are logically contradictory, like making a round square. His truth, power, and goodness are all perfectly consistent.

As the Gospel Coalition explains, “God cannot work in ways that are contrary to His character or ultimate purpose.” His power is never random or reckless—it’s always an expression of His goodness and love.

And honestly? That’s hard for me to wrap my head around sometimes—especially when I feel powerless.

A few weeks ago, I spilled milk in the backseat of my car and didn’t realize it. Days later, the smell nearly made me pull over and sell the thing on the spot. I’ve scrubbed, sprayed, and prayed—and the smell still won’t go away. Meanwhile, God is determining rulers of kingdoms (Isaiah 44:28) and knitting together every person in their mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13–16).

When I try to take control of my own life, I end up anxious and frustrated. But for God, control isn’t a struggle—it’s simply who He is. His power flows naturally from His character.

So here’s the truth to hold onto today: God’s omnipotence means that no matter what you face, He’s in control.

You can rest in that.
When you walk into school—He’s in control.
When you sit down for that test—He’s in control.
When you start worrying about your future—He’s still in control.

You don’t have to hold everything together, because He already does.

Reflective Questions:

When in your life do you feel most tempted to take control instead of trusting that God already has it?

How does knowing that God’s power is always good—never random or cruel—change the way you see His authority?

Can you think of a time when something didn’t go your way, but later you saw how God was working through it?

For Further Reading or Study: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/omnipotence-omniscience-omnipresence-god/

It’s Justan. If you know me at all, what I’m about to say won’t surprise you: I’m an extreme extrovert. I love being around people. Being in a room full of conversation, laughter, and energy fills me up.

But there’s another side to that. I don’t just love being where people are—I also want to be where I’m not. I want to be in every conversation, every hangout, every moment. Basically, I deal with a serious case of FOMO (fear of missing out).

The reality, though, is that I can only be in one place at one time. I’m limited. I can’t be everywhere at once—no matter how much I’d love to be.

But God isn’t like that. In His power and perfection, He isn’t limited by space or time. He’s everywhere, fully present, at every moment. This amazing truth is called God’s omnipresence.

Wayne Grudem defines omnipresence this way:

“God does not have size or spatial dimensions and is present at every point of space with His whole being, yet God acts differently in different places.”

Let’s look at two passages that show us what that means.

Jeremiah 23:23–24 says:

“Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away?
Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord.
Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.”

In this passage, God Himself declares that He fills all of heaven and earth. There’s no secret place you can hide from Him. His presence isn’t distant—it’s personal, powerful, and complete.

Now look at Psalm 139:7–10:

“Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there your hand shall lead me,
And your right hand shall hold me.”

Here, David gives us the intimate side of God’s omnipresence. God isn’t just everywhere—He’s with you. Wherever you go, whatever season you’re in, His presence is constant.

Now, it’s hard for us to fully understand that. We think of presence in human terms—like being in a room or standing in a specific place. But God isn’t bound by space or size. He exists beyond dimensions, fully present everywhere yet distinct from everything He’s made.

And that’s something we can rest in.

God is everywhere.
That means you are never alone.
When you’re at school, doing homework, hanging out with friends, or even feeling unseen—He’s right there. You can’t hide from Him, but that’s not something to fear. It’s something to take comfort in.

Because wherever you are, God is already there—inviting you to rest in His presence and reminding you that you are fully known and fully loved.

Reflective Questions:

When do you feel most aware of God’s presence? How can you slow down and notice Him more in your daily routine—at school, practice, or home?

How does knowing that God is everywhere bring comfort to you when you feel lonely or unseen?

Are there moments or places in your life where you try to “hide” from God? What would it look like to invite Him into those spaces?

Further reflection: Amos 9:1-4

by Justan Borth

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been exploring who God is—His existence, His character, and what makes Him, God. To answer that question, we’ve been studying His attributes—the traits that define His nature. These attributes are divided into two categories:

• Incommunicable attributes: traits that belong only to God.
• Communicable attributes: traits that He shares, in part, with us as His image-bearers.

Today, we’re continuing with one of God’s incommunicable attributes—His unchangeableness.

Theologian Wayne Grudem defines it like this:

“God is unchanging in His being, perfections, purposes, and promises. Yet God does act and feel emotions, and He acts and feels differently in response to different situations.”

That can sound a little technical, but here’s what it means: at His core, God never changes. His character doesn’t shift. His goodness doesn’t fade. His love doesn’t weaken. He’s steady and consistent—even when everything around us isn’t.

Psalm 145 gives us a glimpse of this:

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made…
The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made.”

These truths about God were written thousands of years ago—and they’re still true today. He’s not unpredictable. He doesn’t wake up in a bad mood. His mercy doesn’t have a limit.

But here’s what’s cool: God’s unchangeableness doesn’t mean He’s cold or distant. He’s not a motionless statue sitting in heaven. Scripture shows us that He feels deeply—He rejoices, grieves, and loves—but those emotions always flow perfectly from His consistent, unchanging nature. He engages with us based on what’s happening, but who He is never changes.

Psalm 102:25–27 describes this beautifully:

“In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain…
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.”

Think about how comforting that is. Everything in your life—friends, seasons, emotions, plans—will shift and change. But God stays the same. His promises are as true today as they were when they were first spoken.

That means:

• You can trust Scripture, because the same God who inspired it still speaks through it.
• You can trust His promises, because He always does what He says.
• You can trust His love, because it’s constant—even when you fail or doubt.

When you feel like life is spinning, remember this: God is your anchor. His love, His power, and His presence don’t change. Ever.

Reflections questions:

-As you head into school today, how can you slow down long enough to notice God’s steady presence — the same God who never changes — in the middle of your routine, your classes, and your conversations?

-When have you experienced God’s unchanging nature in your own life? Maybe through a hard season, a prayer that was answered (or not), or just a moment when you realized His love hadn’t moved an inch.

-What promise from God do you need to cling to right now? Is there something He’s said in Scripture that you know is true but find hard to believe in this season?

Further Study: Isaiah 46:9-11

Put On the New Self

Colossians 3:12–17

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdomthrough psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Imagine walking the streets of London and spotting the Queen of England—robe, crown, and all—diving into a dumpster. She pulls out a pile of old, dirty clothes and puts them on over her royal garments. Sounds ridiculous, right?
Yet that’s exactly what we do when, as followers of Jesus, we put on the “old clothes” of our sinful nature instead of living in the new identity He’s given us.

Paul reminds us in Colossians 3 that as people who belong to Christ, we’ve already been “clothed” with righteousness and grace. Now, he urges us to live out who we truly are.

1. Reflect the Heart of Your Father

Paul lists qualities that we’re to “put on”: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. These aren’t just random virtues—they describe God’s heart. Over and over in Scripture, we see that the Lord is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.”

When we put on these traits, we become a reflection of Him. Following Jesus isn’t just about believing the right things; it’s about becoming like Him. As His representatives, our conduct communicates His character.
If someone only knew Jesus through how you live, what would they think He’s like? Would they see compassion, kindness, and grace—or something else?

2. Live for the Good of the Church

When you follow Christ, you don’t walk alone—you join a family. Paul calls us to love one another deeply, because love holds everything together. Love is the reason we forgive, show patience, and live humbly.

He also says the peace of Christ should rule in our hearts. That peace isn’t just internal; it’s relational. We’re called to unity, not division—to grace, not grudges. So ask yourself: am I creating peace in my friendships and community, or am I feeding tension and exclusion?

Finally, Paul says the Word of Christ should “dwell richly” among us. God’s Word should saturate our hearts and conversations so deeply that it shapes how we encourage, challenge, and counsel one another. True Christian community loves deeply and holds one another accountable in love.

3. Do Everything in His Name

Paul closes with a simple but powerful truth: “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Whether it’s how you talk to friends, how you post online, or how you compete on the field—everything you do represents Jesus.

But don’t miss this: you’re not striving for perfection to earn His love. You’re already loved. You’re already His.
Because you are chosen and deeply loved by God, you can put off the old self and joyfully put on the new one—living out the identity that’s already yours in Christ.

Reflective Questions:

-What “old clothes” (attitudes, habits, or patterns) are you still trying to wear that don’t reflect who you are in Christ?

-Which of the traits in Colossians 3—compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness—do you most need to “put on” right now?

-How can you better reflect God’s heart to your friends, family, or teammates this week?

Further reading and study: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

By Andy Sharples

Quick, what are some attributes of God?

Without even thinking too hard, you can probably think of “holy” and the “omni’s”: omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (everywhere).

If I were to tell you that God is eternal, you would say “of course”. And you would be saying a mouthful. When I discovered what it means to say God is eternal, that literally unlocked so many things about God to me.

Here’s some tough theological language from a theology book that describes what we mean by God being eternal: 

God “is elevated above all temporal limits and all succession of moments, and possesses the whole of His existence in one indivisible present.” (Berkhof, Systematic Theology)

Translating that into English: To God, all of time is now.

First, it’s baked into God’s name. He told Moses His name is “I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Period. There’s no “was” or “will be”. It’s all now.

Several verses in the Bible describe God as eternal (check out Gen 21:33; De 32:40; Ps 102:27; Rom 1:20; 1Ti 1:17; Isa 43:10b). My favorite is Psalm 90:2b – “Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, you are God.”

In this Psalm, Moses is NOT saying, “You were God forever ago, and you will be God into the future.” Instead, Moses understands that God is currently present at all moments of time from eternity past to eternity future.

That kind of makes sense when you think of the fact that before there was anything there was God. And then God spoke and suddenly he created this tiny thing (compared to Him) called the Universe (or maybe the Multiverse?). And time is an amazing dimension inside that universe.

When God created the heaven and the earth (Ge 1:1), He didn’t simply set it into motion and left. He created the entire space-time continuum, from beginning to end. There is nothing contingent about it, it was created by God from the beginning. All of space-time is before Him.

So He created the whole expanse of the universe, stretching to infinity in every direction. And, this universe stretches to infinity in time as well.

For us, we travel along a timeline from the moment we’re conceived to the moment we die. In between, we occupy this tiny moment of time we call now. And we have no control over that. Our now is constantly sliding down the timeline, converting our future into our past.

God, on the other hand, is not sliding down the timeline. Rather, He is present at all moments on the timeline. We experience a single moment and its gone. He is present at all times at once. God is everywhen!

Do you believe that God is present in your right now?

Can you wrap your mind around the idea that at this exact same moment, God is strolling in the garden with Adam and Eve?

At this exact same moment, God is hearing the newborn cries from the manger where Jesus was born.

At this exact same moment, God is present at the bombing of Pearl Harbor, hearing the roar of the airplane engines, the concussions of the bombs.

God is right now present in the delivery room where you were born.

God is right now present at your death.

God is right now present at the fantastic explosion at the end of the life of the sun.

God is right now present at every moment in history, whether significant to us or not, and to God, all of those moments, which span the ages are eternally NOW! God is everywhen.

So of course, God is OMNISICIENT. He knows everything, not in the abstract, but because He is present. He is intimately acquainted with the truth by direct experience. 

Since God is at all locations and all times, He never learns anything. He is never surprised by anything. He is never disappointed.

His promises are never uncertain, but guaranteed. His love and presence are unwavering. 

He is not just everywhen as an observer, He is PARTICIPATING and active in the universe He made (Matthew 28:20).

God, who is everywhen, is not increased by the way we spend our time on earth. He isn’t diminished if the creation did not exist. If the whole rest of the world were to turn their back on God and perish, it wouldn’t hurt God’s Godness.

Reflection Questions

1. As you read this question, do you know you are reading it in the presence of God?
2. Do you ever worry that you might do something that surprises God and messes up His plan for you? Does knowing God is eternal ease your worry, knowing that God has taken care of everything He needed to to make His Universe great.
3. Are you able to trust God more deeply, knowing you’ll never surprise or disappoint Him, and that Jesus’ death on the cross was done knowing you perfectly?

by Justan Borth

I often go back to this moment in my mind. I was sitting in a lounge chair on the deck of a cruise ship, book in hand, soaking in the kind of rest and peace only the ocean seems to bring. I glanced up from my reading and froze. Before me stretched a sky painted with oranges, yellows, reds, and pinks as the sun slowly sank into the horizon. For 45 minutes I sat in awe, watching the colors shift and deepen.

The whole time one thought kept running through my head: What kind of God would create something so magnificent simply for us to marvel at?

At its core, that question leads to something bigger: Who is God?

To answer that, we turn to God’s attributes—those qualities that make Him who He is. Attributes aren’t side details about God’s character. They are essential to His very identity. In fact, when we ask “Who is God?” we are really asking, “What are the attributes that make Him God?”

Theologians often divide God’s attributes into two categories: communicable and incommunicable.

Communicable Attributes

These are the qualities God shares with us as people created in His image. Genesis 1:27 tells us, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

Being image-bearers means we reflect aspects of God’s character. We can love, pursue holiness, show mercy, and seek righteousness. But our reflection is dim and broken compared to His perfection. Where we fall short because of sin, God is holy, pure, and complete. Even so, the fact that we can mirror Him at all is an incredible gift and a reason for gratitude.

Incommunicable Attributes

These are the qualities that belong to God alone—things we will never share. They reveal His power, majesty, and “otherness.”

Take Psalm 139:7–8, for example:
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”

This describes God’s omnipresence—His ability to be everywhere at once. Unlike us, bound by time and space, God has no limits. Other incommunicable attributes include His omniscience (all-knowing) and omnipotence (all-powerful). These qualities remind us that He is God, and we are not.

Why It Matters

Understanding God’s attributes should do more than fill our heads with knowledge—it should shape our hearts.

His communicable attributes should stir gratitude. He made us in His image and invites us to reflect His love, justice, and mercy. His incommunicable attributes should humble us. They remind us that He is infinite, beyond our comprehension, and worthy of our worship.

That night on the cruise ship, I only caught a glimpse of God’s creativity and beauty in a sunset. But that glimpse was enough to remind me: the God who paints the skies is both infinitely beyond me and graciously near to me. And that truth is worth marveling at every single day.

Reflective questions:

-When was the last time you paused to marvel at God’s creation, like a sunset or the stars? How did it shape your view of Him?

-Which of God’s communicable attributes (love, mercy, holiness, righteousness) do you most want to reflect more in your daily life?

-How does remembering God’s incommunicable attributes (like His power, presence, or knowledge) change the way you see your struggles or fears?

Further reading and study: Hebrews 1