Sunday 1^st February 2026

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God,
be honour and glory for ever and ever.  Amen.
1 Timothy 1:17 (NIV)

Immortal, Invisible

When did you last think about God being invisible?  It’s probably not the first of God’s qualities you’d think of.  And when did you last praise him for being invisible?  I don’t think I’ve ever done that.  And yet the apostle Paul seems to think that God being invisible – along with him being eternal, immortal and “the only God” – is praiseworthy.  Why is that?

I’ve been reading Nick Tucker’s excellent little book 12 Things God Can’t Do (some of you may remember him speaking on this topic at a church weekend several years ago), and I owe these thoughts entirely to him.

He points out that God can’t be seen because he doesn’t have a body, which is a good thing because it means God is present everywhere.  I can travel anywhere I like and I’ll find that God was already there ahead of me.

There’s nowhere in the world, or in my life, where God is not present, and present in his fulness.  Now, that could be scary if you’re trying to hide from him, because it means you can’t.  But it’s wonderfully comforting when you’re in some kind of need, because it means he’s right there with you.

We can’t see God physically because there’s something he doesn’t have, and that’s a body; there’s nothing to see.  And we can’t see God spiritually because there’s something he does have, and that’s glory, and it makes him unapproachable: He is “God, the blessed and only Ruler, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.  To him be honour and might for ever.  Amen.”  (1 Timothy 6:16-17).

And yet, wonderfully, in Christ God has made himself visible, and knowable: “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known (John 1:18) – “the Son [who] is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).

Prayer  
Immortal, invisible, God only wise, in light inaccessible hid from our eyes, most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.  Amen.

Yours warmly, in Christ

Chris Hobbs (Senior Minister)