How many people do you know who live with open, childlike wonder at the greatness of God? It would seem that these are severe days for many; lock-jawed with grinding teeth, they seem to be satisfied with surviving another day with a sense of joy equal to that of a man who has removed a splinter from his palm rather than a sinner who has had his guilt removed from his soul. Others live their days aloof and indifferent, focused on things and accomplishments and events which have little value beyond the here & now. Even in our churches most of the weekly chatter is absent of joyful proclamation of the majesty of Christ and the beauty of His Father. Christians babble about television and traffic, politics and parties…sports, struggles and sadness. Every now and then a Spirit-filled believer pipes up and stands among the brethren with a vibrant, constant and easy-flowing praise, focusing on things above the earth and outside of time. Unfortunately, this type of Christian can cause others to feel awkward so they are not fully appreciated nor heartily embraced as they live regularly, giving God the glory. We have come to the point of tolerating radical, praise-saturated saints but we no longer wish to emulate them. They are oddballs, relics of a generation when things were less complicated and sophisticated. We find their praise quaint but impractical. Truth be known, their zeal is often squelched…so they become just like the majority. Is this an accurate reflection of the majesty of our King?
I’m personally hoping for a renaissance of vibrant praise-warriors. Churches are familiar with the term prayer-warriors – those who endeavor in intercession and petition whose lives are marked as such – but who can name a praise-warrior? Why is it that prayer is highlighted and emphasized at the expense of an equal focus on praise? God does not need anything and that includes the hearing of our praise. Yet the fact that He does not need it cannot eclipse the realities that He is worthy of it and has commanded it. He inspired His own psalmist to say of Him in Psalm 70:4,
“May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You! May those who love Your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”
God doesn’t merely want us to know that He is great. He wants us to tell it. The verse above tells us how to be (rejoicing and glad in Him), presents an issue to be examined (do we love His salvation?) and gives us an action to fulfill (say all the time that God is great). I’m going to give you an opportunity today to do exactly that. Take five minutes of your time in the comment box below and tell of God’s greatness to you. It is likely today that you will have dozens of conversations which may not afford you the chance to magnify Him in praise for His greatness unto you. Do it now while the moment is before you. Remind us of how He is great and let us magnify the Lord together. I’ll start us out:
God is great to me in that He is unspeakably patient and amazingly gracious when I continue another day learning what it means to operate in His strength rather than my own. He is not fed-up with me but relentless in compassion and grace. He has taught me how to fear Him without being afraid of Him. In this, my God is great.
Your turn now. Tell us below where you see His greatness to you.
I’ve been pondering God’s greatness lately in that He is always right. Always. Sometimes I wonder how He could possibly have grace for me still, but because His word is true and He’s always right I can continue to grasp this in faith. Sometimes I wonder whether a seemingly impossible calling or direction He’s given me could possibly be the right way, but He’s always right and I’m able to move forward knowing that. Sometimes I look at my loved ones or our nation and wonder… but knowing He’s always right I’m ready to persevere in hope. It’s not just that He is right, but He defines right and right is only an option because of Him. I love resting easy in counting on Him.
I, too, must respond to an opportunity to proclaim the greatness of my God for He alone is THE SATISFIER OF MY SOUL. Before I have a need He has provided, before I say a word He has heard, before I go out He is before me, before I come in He is there. He is THE light unto my path and The lamp unto my feet and as I follow His leading I find myself in those green pastures and beside the still waters … even when my circumstances are so unpredictable – God is not. He found me when I was lost. He cleansed me fully of my sin and daily washes my feet. He healed my broken heart and gave me a garment of praise. He pours out liberally from His storehouse and very need is met. He fills my heart with love and a rush of living water flows from me. HE IS MY ALL IN ALL and I have the privilege of living, moving and having my being in Christ Jesus.
I missed this yesterday but even belated I need to respond. Indeed He
is great and wonderful and caring my load of cares and sorrows.
How can I express my adoration and wonder of Him??? Just like this
I suppose. I awoke this morning with Him on my mind and thanked Him for another morning with Him. My devotions the morning I read
that He is right here with me…and I must thank Him for always being with me. Sometimes I forget. Shame on me! Thank you for your forgiveness Father.
Gos is great because no matter what we do He is always there. There is also a piece with God that you can’t get anywhere else. God has always helped me when I couldn’t help myself. Recently I have learned to be more dependent on God because He is the only One that can help me get through a lot of life’s issues. Thank you God for all that you do for me.
Gods greatness is shown to me when I wake up in the mornings , because He is the first person I usually think about and I get excited about getting in His presence. The Bible says there’s nothing good in my flesh , so I know even the desire FOR Him is FROM Him, and I think that’s Great !!! He is great in His pursuit of me and in giving me the desire to enjoy His pursuit. He is great in His love for me and for giving me the desire to love Him back. He is Great because He’s God, and He is great for giving me the faith to believe that.
Well said!!
God is my strength, He doesn’t just give me strength to face each day, HE IS my strength…He is my Provider, He is my Protector, He loves me when I’m weak and when I’m strong, many times I cannot see His hand but He always gives me the grace to trust His heart! “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid.”
“God is great,God is good…” It’s as simple as the child’s dinner prayer. He is always great and good because, unlike me, it’s his nature. He showed both to me by doing for me what I could never do myself. As the Psalmist put it “He lifted me out of the pit and set me in a large place.” He not only set me free from sin, He is setting me free from me! Yeehi!
God is great because He never gives up on me. He is always here for me even tho I am not always deserving of His mercy, He gives it.