God’s power has been on full display since the creation of the world.
Numerous times throughout history He provides glimpses into the depths of His sovereignty, His holiness, His love, His power. The plagues in Egypt showed all those bundled into one unforgettable, epic event.
Yet he, being compassionate,
atoned for their iniquity
and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh,
a wind that passes and comes not again. (Psalm 78:38-39 ESV)
Israel should have walked away from Egypt in awe of God’s character and His love for them. God had remembered them, remembered that they were “but flesh.”
Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God
and did not keep his testimonies, (Psalm 78:56 ESV)
And then, years later, years of cycling through rebellion and surrender, He chose David. A fresh start.
O Lord, in distress they sought you;
they poured out a whispered prayer
when your discipline was upon them (Isaiah 26:16 ESV)
And in their surrender, in our surrender, He chooses love.
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. (I john 4:9 ESV)
The hope we now have, in the fulfillment of His plan that became visible even in the Garden of Eden, should overflow through our fingertips in love for others.
He’s proven His power and righteousness and love. Now, it is for me to act. To step out boldly. To shout to the world that I have the hope they are looking for. To whisper to the hurting that I have the answer they ache to hear. To speak to my neighbors that I have found the stability that holds through every storm.
They don’t need to fear because He is the answer. To everything. Those Sunday School kids kinda got it right, the answer is always “Jesus.”
Lord God, may your love overflow so freely through every pore of my being that others may discover Your truth, love, and power through my life. May my self, on every level, be used to shine the light that others need to discover to light their way. Thank you for your patient forgiveness and leading. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Sixty-six books in a year 