Three in One
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Three in One
By Lois Parker Edstrom
Bottle of water, ice cubes, thermos bottle of hot water.
Today we celebrate the Trinity. The Trinity is a difficult idea even for adults to understand. The Bible tells us that our God is three persons in one; God in heaven, Jesus who lived on earth and returned to heaven, and the Holy Spirit – the part of God that lives in us. How can one thing be three different things? Is it possible? I think so.
Can someone tell me what is inside this bottle? Yes, the label says water and it looks like water. How would you describe water? It is wet, it is fluid, it is clear, it is odorless, and it is tasteless.
Will someone describe what is in this plastic bag? Yes, ice cubes. Describe the ice cubes a bit more. They are cold, they are hard, and they have a square shape. They are also clear, tasteless, and odorless.
Now let’s open this thermos bottle. It is filled with very hot water. (Use extreme caution.) When I remove the lid watch closely and tell me what you see. Yes, steam is rising from the thermos. You can barely see it, but there it is, drifting away.
I think we just saw an example of “three in one.” Water, ice, and steam are all the same thing, but in three different forms. Water, ice, and steam all have something in common – water, but each one has a unique shape and purpose.
Perhaps thinking about the forms of water will help us understand a bit more about the three forms of God; God the Father who created everything, Jesus the Son who came to live on earth and teach us about God’s love, and the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Let’s celebrate the joy and truth of the Trinity.
Scripture quotations from the World English Bible
Copyright 2007, Richard Niell Donovan