Tuesday, June 28, 2016

What Is So Great About God?

"Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure His greatness." Psalm 145:3
If you grew up in church like me, chances are you learned that blessing, "God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food..."
The thing about that is, I said it but never really understood it. Especially since we are taught the Old Testament stories of how God killed people in a flood. Or how He let over a million people wonder around in the desert for 40 years. 
The connection between the Old Testament God and the New Testament Jesus is often not explained.
God really is good. He was good in the Old Testament too. Jesus came to show God's character face to face. 
As I have been reading through the Psalms these past 30 days, I see times when the writers, blame God for things, like Him causing a storm on the sea. I am immediately reminded that Jesus never caused a storm, He CALMED a storm though. 
Psalm 145, while it is Old Testament, if full of how and why God is so great.
Psalm 145:8-9, "The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all His creation."
Here are a few more examples:
13b, "The LORD always keeps His promises; He is gracious in all He does."
14, "The LORD helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads."
17, "The LORD is righteous in everything He does; He is filled with kindness."
18, "The LORD is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth."
19 ,"He grants the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries for help and rescues them."
20a, "The LORD protects all those who love Him"
You see, God is not the big bully in the sky waiting on us to mess up so He can strike us down with lightening. He doesn't work that way.
He sent Jesus to give us life to the full. Not for us to live in fear of messing up. Guess what?
WE WILL MESS UP!
We are human, and God knows that we will sin every day. But He loves us anyway. 
Jesus is the bridge that filled the gap to God for us. In the Old Testament times, God limited Himself on who He interacted with. When Jesus died on the cross, the veil that kept God and people apart was ripped to show that we can now have a full personal relationship with God.
I know, you are thinking, "How can you have a relationship with someone you can not see?"
I will refer to one of my favorite artists songs, Toby Mac sings about how he can "Feel It". "I feel it in my heart, I feel it in my soul, that's how I know."
When we pray, that's us talking to God. When we hear a still small voice, or read the Bible, or get moved by what a Pastor says, or feel God in a worship song... that's Him responding to us. It's a relationship.
I pray that you have a relationship with your Heavenly Father. And that you will see Him for who He really is. Re-read those characteristics I listed. He is kind, He is loving, He keeps His promises! He just wants to be a part of your life. He loves you so much and He's got some good plans for you. 
Will you give Him a chance?
If you need prayer, please contact me. I would love to pray for you.
God bless you today and always.

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