What Does God Look Like To You?

Whilst watching the film 'Exodus, Gods and Kings' last week, in which God is depicted as a young boy, the following thought popped into my head - 'What does God look like? If I was asked to draw a picture of God, what would I draw?'

You're probably wondering what the point or relevance of such an exercise is, but trust me, if we are to have a truly personal relationship with God then the way we picture or imagine Him is not only important but very significant.

Would I have to draw two pictures of God? - one of the old testament and another depicting the God of the new testament?

To be perfectly honest I was a little stuck. So I decided to pose the same question to some of my good friends.

Here's what they had to say.

"When you asked I immediately thought of the picture from exodus - The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night - That's how I see God - Cloud and Fire."

"In my head......all I imagine I would be able to "see" would be this massive ball of bright white light that I won't be able to look at directly. It'll be too bright to see the actual physical being in its radiating from.
I've thought of this before and that's honestly what I've always imagined He would look like if standing in front of me."

"I will draw by the name (lion of the tribe of Judah) so I will draw a lion with fire around it. ‎

"I know a lot of people imagine Him as a Gandalf lookalike - White long hair and beard. Well, when I was younger I subscribed to the same thing. But now, I see God as light. The Bible says that the Cherubims and Seraphims cover their faces with their feathers as God's glory is overwhelming.Then again, the Bible also says that we're made in God's image. So I'm thinking God has our features but is also light."

"Jesus maybe( and that's because I think he will appear according to my understanding)."

"He is like a human form, an illuminating light in a distance and hard to see."

"Well he would definitely look like man."


"He is very old, has a long white beard, bushy white hair, and wears a flowing white dress or robe."

"He is young, He has eyes, sees all things, he has ears, arms and legs, and a good heart. He gave up his only son for us."

"God in my mind would be somewhere in between a woman and a man (as in features), probably like a child in size."

"I would draw a picture of man. Afterall the bible says we are made in His likeness."

I'm of the opinion that God looks different to each and everyone of us. I'm struggling to put a face on him but what I can picture is a very loving arm around me. If I had asked myself this same question a few years ago I would probably have drawn something fierce and stern looking. Lol

However I'm starting to see God more and more as a God of infinite love and mercy. And the only way in which I can picture mercy and love is in a human form; which in itself is rather contradictory since us humans aren't so strong on love and mercy. But then again maybe that's the point. Maybe the more we picture God as a God of Love and Mercy, the more loving and merciful we become - in His image.

So if you see God as light, see Him as a light of love and mercy. If you see Him as half man half woman, see him as a very loving and merciful half man half woman. If you see him as Cloud and Fire, see him as a Cloud of Love, and a gentle loving fire. And if he's a lion, then a cuddly, loving and merciful lion with the sure ability to be fierce and ruthless when fighting for you - never against you.

Whatever picture you draw, make sure Love and Mercy are the dominant features.