The other day I was reading through and meditating on Psalm 2 & 3. Ideas presented in those chapters got me thinking about the power of God and how He displays it.
My first thoughts about power got me thinking about some superhero shooting lasers from his eyes, or fire from his hands...with lots of flashiness and amazing feats. Then I thought...that's not really how God works, though...is it?
I thought about the creation account in Genesis..."God said, 'let there be light' and there was light." God speaks and things are...it's not flashy, it just happens. I'm sorry to say but to my imaginative human mind, this sounds boring. I want flashiness and grandeur...but that's not usually how God works. By his will things come and go...people live and people die...the grass grows and it fades away and dies...
I think of the ministry of Jesus...the Pharisees and Sadducees were constantly asking Jesus to give them a sign, but He would not give it. He healed the sick and opened the eyes of the blind...but it wasn't in flashy ways...he just spoke or touched them, and they were made whole.
Now, of course there are situations in the Bible where God displayed His power in awesome ways. I think of the parting of the Red Sea, and the 12 Plagues of Egypt...these were huge displays of power, but God did this for man...because He knew that it was needed so that people would see a glimpse of His power, and stand in awe...and even fear Him...
All throughout the Old Testament, God delivering the Israelites from the land of Egypt is cited as an event where God displayed His power and His love for the Children of Israel. I think specifically of the Canaanites...they greatly feared the God of Israel because of what they'd heard He had done for Israel.
One of my favorite stories where God's power is displayed is in 2 Kings 6:15-17. One of Elisha's servants comes to him and tells him that the city they're in is surrounded by the army of Syria. The servant is obviously afraid...Elisha responds by saying, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” This statement sounds extremely cool, but we're not completely sure what it means. After this, though...Elisha prays to God that he would open the eyes of the servant to see. God grants his request, and the passage says, "So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." Wow! God truly was watching out for and protecting Elisha...
My first thoughts about power got me thinking about some superhero shooting lasers from his eyes, or fire from his hands...with lots of flashiness and amazing feats. Then I thought...that's not really how God works, though...is it?
I thought about the creation account in Genesis..."God said, 'let there be light' and there was light." God speaks and things are...it's not flashy, it just happens. I'm sorry to say but to my imaginative human mind, this sounds boring. I want flashiness and grandeur...but that's not usually how God works. By his will things come and go...people live and people die...the grass grows and it fades away and dies...
I think of the ministry of Jesus...the Pharisees and Sadducees were constantly asking Jesus to give them a sign, but He would not give it. He healed the sick and opened the eyes of the blind...but it wasn't in flashy ways...he just spoke or touched them, and they were made whole.
Now, of course there are situations in the Bible where God displayed His power in awesome ways. I think of the parting of the Red Sea, and the 12 Plagues of Egypt...these were huge displays of power, but God did this for man...because He knew that it was needed so that people would see a glimpse of His power, and stand in awe...and even fear Him...
All throughout the Old Testament, God delivering the Israelites from the land of Egypt is cited as an event where God displayed His power and His love for the Children of Israel. I think specifically of the Canaanites...they greatly feared the God of Israel because of what they'd heard He had done for Israel.
One of my favorite stories where God's power is displayed is in 2 Kings 6:15-17. One of Elisha's servants comes to him and tells him that the city they're in is surrounded by the army of Syria. The servant is obviously afraid...Elisha responds by saying, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” This statement sounds extremely cool, but we're not completely sure what it means. After this, though...Elisha prays to God that he would open the eyes of the servant to see. God grants his request, and the passage says, "So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." Wow! God truly was watching out for and protecting Elisha...
So...don't despair. We serve a God who is in control of everything...both when we can clearly see that He is, and even when we can't.
Keep your eyes on the one true God who holds the whole world in His hands...
Keep your eyes on the one true God who holds the whole world in His hands...
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