The Greatness of Our God
In Crazy Love, Francis Chan writes:
"We forget we already have everything we need in Him. Because we don't often think about the reality of who God is, we quickly forget that He is worthy to be worshipped and loved. We are to fear Him." (Crazy Love, p. 35)
This so often the case with humankind, is it not? I mean, to be honest with ourselves, even those of us within the Church (both Suburban and other congregations) would hate to admit that we often forget the Greatness of our God.
Pastor Chan also has a wonderful illustration of God’s greatness, and more importantly, our finiteness. Watch this clip:
How SMALL are we?! Wow. I was blown away by how tiny we become compared to the vastness of the observable parts of the Universe. And God is Greater than even that! He created all things. He spoke all that we see and do not see into existence. I’m reminded of the Psalm that says:
“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” - Psalm 8:3-4
We live in a big world. We are only a small part of what makes the Earth teem with life. When you look at all the species, the intricacy of ecosystems, the delicate manner in which our organs are made, it fills me with joy.
Joy, because in all of this busyness. Within all of the details, which I always get muddled in, God has us in the palm of His hands.
I am often overwhelmed with how small and insignificant I feel. I lack confidence in my own abilities. I am weak; I am flawed; I am only one. We all face those times. We all need some sort of strength, provision, and encouragement to continuing moving forward. And our encouragement is this:
“Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” - Psalm 8:5
In all the vastness of the Universe, God has made us, even lower than the heavenly beings (angels) and crowned us with glory! We are set apart in the heart of God. And to think that the ultimate reflection of this is found in the Cross of Jesus. Phillipians 2:6-8 illustrates the love with which God loved us:
“(W)ho, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
The glory with which God has crowned us with is His own! In Christ Jesus, he has made us clean, and clothed us in righteousness, so that sin no longer has victory over us in this life or in the next. Jesus, knowing that we were too weak and broken to save ourselves, became obedient and humble to the point of death on the cross to bring us into the glory of God through salvation. What love God has displayed for us!
So, when you feel small and overwhelmed by the vastness and chaos of life in this Universe, remember that in your weakness, God is your strength. That in your smallness, God is great. That in your finiteness, God is infinite. Wherever you lack, God is overflowing.
Allow the example of Jesus always encourage and remind you of that!