Keep in Mind That God is the Almighty
There was no time lapse between this
particular flash of lightning and the booming clap of thunder, signifying that we
were in the center of a recent storm. The sudden surge of electricity blew out
two light bulbs in my home office. I soon discovered that our landline phone
was out of order, while our internet service would end up coming and going over
the next few days until a technician arrived. When this incident first occurred,
I was afraid the lightning had struck our house. Thankfully, I was wrong.
However, two trees in our front yard bear the scars from where the bolt of
electricity ripped away a line of bark down their trunks.
This was just another reminder of
how powerful nature can be. It has a way of humbling us when it shows how it can
take away in a moment so many of our modern conveniences, the technology we
depend on, and other material possessions. The same creation that results in
our serenely enjoying a colorful sunset or marveling at a beautiful butterfly
can also terrify us with its hurricanes, tornados, and storms.
If nature is so powerful, the One
who created it must be even more so. There is a reason He is referred to as the
Almighty. In last week’s article we were reminded that God is a loving Father.
However, that doesn’t take away from the truth that He is still a fearsome God.
He loves us, but He isn’t a tame kitty cat for us to play with. He isn’t the
kindly grandfather we can wrap around our little fingers or otherwise
manipulate in order to get our way. He isn’t a doormat for us to walk over when
His ways and truths don’t line up with our views or lifestyles. This is the awesome
God who manifested Himself with thunderings and lightnings as He met with Moses
on Mount Sinai to give him the Ten Commandments. And for those who erroneously
try to suggest God is different in the New Testament – this is the God who struck
dead Ananias and Sapphira for their lying deception (see Acts 5:1-11).
While the Bible exhorts us to love
God with all our hearts, it also tells us to “fear” Him. It even suggests that
such fear is the starting point of real knowledge and wisdom. It isn’t
advocating that we be terrified of God. However, it is saying that we should
respect God for who He is and for His great power. While we can draw close to
Him as our Father, we need to keep in mind that He is the Almighty Creator of
the universe. When He declares truth, it carries more weight than my opinion or
society’s viewpoint. We dare not try to soften His words or explain away His clear
teaching in order to get it to fit in with how we think things ought to be. We
don’t try to conform this powerful God to our finite ideas. No, when we
encounter His truth, we had better humble ourselves before Him, seek His forgiveness
when needed, and change our views and behaviors in order to get them in harmony
with His word and His will.
In our day the love of God is often
emphasized, as it should be. However, too many are guilty of ignoring this equally
important fearsome aspect of God. You don’t want to defy the Almighty any more
than you would want to get struck by a bolt of lightning. He loves us, but He
is greater than we are. His word is the truth. His ways are best. His plans and
purposes will be accomplished. I suggest you not rebel against Him, contradict
Him, or try to stand in His way.