Word of Encouragement (12/01/2021)
“And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed’” (Rev. 15:3-4).
The 144,000 begin their song by praising God: “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!” In this song, they praise God for His divine attributes, which are implied in God’s titles, by which they call out to Him. Because God is “Lord God the almighty,” He is praised for His deeds that are “great and amazing.” Because God is “King of the nations,” He is praised for His “just and true... ways.”
Let us join in praising God for His almighty power. God has given us many abilities, and, with them, we can do some amazing things. Think about all the scientific and technological advancements that have been made just in the last thirty years! But we are not almighty. We are finite creatures. We can learn to do many things. When we get good at things, we feel exhilarated and free. But, we cannot get good at everything. Frustration is our normal experience, especially when we begin something new. We are limited in our ability to control not only ourselves but also our circumstances. There are many things we will never be as good as others or as good as we would like to be. And we will suffer the consequences of unexpected changes in our circumstances as well as the unintended consequences of our actions.
God knows no such limitations. Frustration is not part of His experience. This doesn’t mean that God can do anything and everything. He cannot sin. He cannot do things that are logically contradictory, such as making something so heavy that He cannot lift. God is almighty in that He can do anything He wills to do according to His character. He is not restricted by the laws of nature as we are. But He is not just the God of miracles; He is also the God of providence. Not only can He suspend the laws of nature to perform miracles; He can also orchestrate the “ordinary” events of nature and history to fulfill His will in a way that is as wonderful as a miracle.
Praising God for His almighty power is only right. But it is also good for us as it reminds us of something good to remember when we pray—how powerful God is, to whom we direct our prayers. This doesn’t mean that God will do everything we ask of Him: He is not a genie in a bottle. His sovereign and wise will must supersede our near-sighted, ignorant will. But, if we pray according to His will, He will hear us (1 John 5:14). And He can answer our prayers in ways that are wonderful beyond our imagination. Does He not deserve our praise for His almighty power? Should we not be most eager to pray to such a powerful God? “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph. 3:20-21).