Once upon a time I was in the church house on a Sunday morning, listening to the minister, listening especially closely as he spoke of some fundamental questions Christians ask about God: "What is God about?" The question is vague, therefore open to several possibilities, most of it hinging on what we understand by "about."

The minister, however, followed his question immediately with his answer: "He is about bringing us to the point where we have at least a crumb, a beginning point of faith."

A bit later in the sermon, again he made a vague statement that, "Faith is not about who is left behind, but about those who have faith." Still later, he said, "Jesus, plus whatever you bring, is more than enough."

I found these claims intriguing, so I recorded them in a pocket notebook that I habitually carry. This sermon was preached, and these notes taken, quite some time ago, and since I recorded neither the sermon text nor the context, now they are stand-alone statements. I abstracted them from their setting in a living sermon, and reduced them to words on paper and thus can reread and consider them all I want to.

I took note of them because, it seemed to me, that they called for further consideration. What I am now writing is something of a considered response.

"What is God about?" "Bringing us to a point of faith." Yes, that is something of what God is about. Perhaps it is what God penultimately is about, but certainly not what God is ultimately about. What is the point? Of what use, of what value is faith? Faith, by its very nature can neither be our goal, nor a resting place.

"God is love," and love is what God is about. "God is love," and the greatest, most comprehensive expectation is not about faith, but about love. True, we can love like God loves, like God expects us to live, only if we have faith in, trust, believe in him. Faith leads us to love. Faith is a necessary, but not a sufficient response to what God is about. "Now abideth faith, hope, and love, but the greatest. . . ."

God is about love, but even love is not what God is what God is simply about, at least not as his final purpose. The divine love, living and active in our hearts and minds, finds its culmination in joy and peace–the joy and peace that is the life of eternity.

Joy. God enjoys being God, though he is often grieved. God is love, and nothing is quite as enjoyable as love. "It pleased God to . . . " do a variety of things in creation and redemption, in gifts and callings. God wants us to know the joy of love.

Peace. Biblical peace is not merely the cessation or absence of conflict. Rather, peace is the full experience of the amazing graces and riches that God offers.

What is God about? The incredible, incomprehensible, inexhaustible riches of the love, joy, and peace that faith in the triune God leads us to and graciously bestows upon us. That is what God is about.