--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God is God to us not that we may say he…" description: "\"“God is God to us not that we may say he is, but that we may know him; and when we know him, then we are with him, at home, at the heart of the univers..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/george-macdonald-295_god_god-is-god-to-us-not-that-we-may-say-he_641633.png" --- # God is God to us not that we may say he is, but that we… ![“God is God to us not that we may say he is, but that we may know him; and when we know him, then we are with him, at home, at the heart of the universe, the heirs of all things.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/george-macdonald-295_god_god-is-god-to-us-not-that-we-may-say-he_641633.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/george-macdonald-295_god_god-is-god-to-us-not-that-we-may-say-he_641633.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/george-macdonald-295_god_god-is-god-to-us-not-that-we-may-say-he_641633.png) > ““God is God to us not that we may say he is, but that we may know him; and when we know him, then we are with him, at home, at the heart of the universe, the heirs of all things.”” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage describes God as an intimate presence we can know, not merely a concept, suggesting that knowing God brings us into a universal, familial relationship. **In simple terms:** Knowing God feels like being at home in the universe. Key Takeaway Seek personal, experiential understanding of the divine. Themes spirituality relationship universal Mood contemplative hopeful Type religious philosophical. When to use this quote - worship - meditation - community building Key Concepts theology mysticism Questions to Reflect On - How does personal experience shape one's view of the divine? - Can spiritual intimacy exist without traditional religious frameworks? A Different Perspective The claim may not resonate with non‑theistic perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Heirs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heirs/) ## Related quotes > [This is and has been the Father's work from the beginning-to bring us into the home of His heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/this-is-and-has-been-the-father-s-work-from-the-beginning-to-bring-us/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I don't know what 'home' or 'abroad' is any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-gibb/i-don-t-know-what-home-or-abroad-is-any-more/) [Robin Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-gibb/) > [“Anyone can plot a course with a map or compass; but without a sense of who you are, you will never know if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/anyone-can-plot-a-course-with-a-map-or-compass-but-without-a-sense-of/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Your home is whatever in this world you love more than you love yourself. So that might be creativity, family, invention, adventure, faith, service,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/your-home-is-whatever-in-this-world-you-love-more-than-you-love/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [My kids know I'm home every night for dinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wojcicki/my-kids-know-i-m-home-every-night-for-dinner/) [Susan Wojcicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-wojcicki/) > [“You don’t have to go away to know where your home is,” he said. “Everyone knows where their home is. And if you don’t,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-have-to-go-away-to-know-where-your-home-is-he-said-everyone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Call up, ring once, hang up the phone to let me know you made it home. Don't want nothing to be wrong with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-wonder/call-up-ring-once-hang-up-the-phone-to-let-me-know-you-made-it-home/) [Stevie Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-wonder/) > [But when I go to Chicago, I know I'm home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-sauer/but-when-i-go-to-chicago-i-know-i-m-home/) [Hank Sauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-sauer/) > [“You don't have to go away to know where you're home is, everyone knows where their home is. And if you don't, you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-matson-amy-and-roger-s-epic-detour/you-don-t-have-to-go-away-to-know-where-you-re-home-is-everyone-knows/) Morgan Matson Amy and Roger's Epic Detour > [“i’m going to love again so quietly no one will know i’m home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-roberts/i-m-going-to-love-again-so-quietly-no-one-will-know-i-m-home/) [stephanie roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-roberts/) > [I miss the time that the only place I know is home, that no matter what happens it is always you I'll return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikka/i-miss-the-time-that-the-only-place-i-know-is-home-that-no-matter/) Mikka > [“She did not know where her home was anymore, and this idea didn’t frighten her like it should. - Bohemian Grove”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-m-williams/she-did-not-know-where-her-home-was-anymore-and-this-idea-didn-t/) [T.M. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-m-williams/) > [“You don't have to go away to know where your home is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-matson/you-don-t-have-to-go-away-to-know-where-your-home-is/) [Morgan Matson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-matson/) > [I don't know why I survived Iraq and I don't know why I made it home, but I do know that this is my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-duckworth/i-don-t-know-why-i-survived-iraq-and-i-don-t-know-why-i-made-it-home/) [Tammy Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-duckworth/) > [And how do I know that the hate of death is not like a man who has lost his home when young and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-how-do-i-know-that-the-hate-of-death-is-not-like-a-man-who-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by George MacDonald > [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“God is God to us not that we may say he is, but that we may know him; and when we know him, then we are with him, at home, at the heart of the universe, the heirs of all things.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/god-is-god-to-us-not-that-we-may-say-he-is-but-that-we-may-know-him/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/god-is-god-to-us-not-that-we-may-say-he-is-but-that-we-may-know-him/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/george-macdonald-295_god_god-is-god-to-us-not-that-we-may-say-he_641633.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/george-macdonald-295_god_god-is-god-to-us-not-that-we-may-say-he_641633.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/george-macdonald-295_god_god-is-god-to-us-not-that-we-may-say-he_641633.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God is God to us not that we may say he is, but that we may know him; and when we know him, then we are with…” — George MacDonald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George MacDonald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“God is God to us not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/god-is-god-to-us-not-that-we-may-say-he-is-but-that-we-may-know-him/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/god-is-god-to-us-not-that-we-may-say-he-is-but-that-we-may-know-him/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```