02/27/2017
Yesterday we visited John 4:11 during our morning contemplation, and today we are going to return there as we dwell on the almighty nature of Jesus. I read a statement made by Oswald Chambers where he said "The reason some of us are such poor specimens of Christianity is because we have no Almighty Christ." I look at myself and ask if I am included in such an observation.
The woman at the well was surprised that Jesus would ask her for a drink, and she was perplexed by the thought that He spoke of giving her living water, but most of all she had no basis on which to understand His ability to step into the spiritual world in His provision for her. She was trapped in the now... in the physical world she lived in each day. Do we imprison ourselves there too?
"The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?"
John 4:11 KJV
Chambers warns us of being trapped within our understanding of existence. He encouraged us to look upon Christ, not as Jesus the man, but as the Almighty Son of God.
"Beware of the satisfaction of sinking back and saying - "It can't be done"; you know it can be done if you look to Jesus. The well of your incompleteness is deep, but make the effort and look away to Him." - Oswald Chambers
We fix things in our lives every day. The garbage can gets full so we take out the trash, the car is low on fuel so we stop at the filling station and get gasoline. We make hundreds of these physical fixes every day; we do this so often that it becomes the rule by which we judge what is possible and what is not; we make this determination based on our own abilities. Sometimes we carry this perception into our prayer closets and apply it to Jesus and God as well.
Have you ever caught yourself neglecting to pray for something because it is impossible? Did you have a dream that you shuffled away from because there was no way that could ever happen? Well, I am here to tell you that we live in a world that is both physical and spiritual, and that forces are at work which are not bound to our physical world.
"And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."
1 Corinthians 15:49 KJV
Jesus Christ is not handcuffed by our earthly limitations... God is not chained to our perception of what is possible. Our God transcends all and is omnipotent... nothing is beyond His ability, but it may be outside His will.
Understanding the Almighty nature of Jesus is hard for us. It is so foreign and difficult for us to grasp that the Bible continues to address it over and over again. From Genesis...
"Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
Genesis 18:14 KJV
To the time of Jesus...
"But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible."
Matthew 19:26 KJV
We are reminded again and again in statements and stories of God's interaction with us, that He is capable of all things. Yet, we somehow slip back into our placing Jesus and the Father into bondage to our notions of what they might be capable of. We limit them to the hard things, but the things we could possibly do for ourselves that are just barely beyond our easy achievement, and we assume that those things we view as impossible are beyond them too... they are not.
I love a certain verse in the book of Revelation because it praises God for being Almighty. This scripture acknowledges that God is all powerful and encourages me to ask not just those things I think He can do, but anything I could imagine... and beyond.
"Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned."
Revelation 11:17 KJV
Prayer:
Father, teach me to leave my human perception of reality behind when I enter my prayer closet. Give me confidence in your Almighty nature and encourage me to ask even the most incredible things of you, knowing that even in those desires you can provide. Holy Father, I am a child in your eyes and in my understanding of You. Raise me up as I would one of my own children; teach me your ways and build my confidence in your miracles as not being miracles at all, but instead, let me see them as everyday occurrences. Even in as much as I had faith that I would eventually do those things that once amazed me in my earthly father's actions, let me come to understand that one day I too will be able to do those things that amaze me in you. I am your son and my rearing is purposeful by you. Help me Father that one day I will realize not only that you are Almighty, but that your wish for me in this has been realized as well. I hear the words of Jesus in my ears as He beckons me on in this regard...
"At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."
John 14:20 KJV