01/16/2021
We say these words all the time... “God is Great!”... but do we really understand what we are saying, or are we repeating them to relieve ourselves of the obligation required to grasp some mystery He has presented us? Or, maybe we use them as a way of dismissing a conversation someone wants to have regarding an amazing act of God in their life? Let’s explore the meaning of this phrase today, and why we shouldn’t use it lightly.
“For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.”
Psalm 86:10 ESV
Someone sends us a text message to tell us that an intercessory prayer we have given on their behalf was answered in some amazing way, and how incredible our God is, but we are busy so we respond with a short reply. We might type “PTL” which simply means “praise the Lord”, or sometimes we might go the extra mile and take the time to say “God is great!”, or “God is good!”.
Short responses like these are expected in the world of text messaging, but in conversations, or written correspondence such as letters, or emails, they are totally unacceptable, and deny God the adoration, thanksgiving, and honor He deserves. We are also trivializing His action in another’s life, and quite possibly claiming the glory for what God has done as being routine to us as intercessors, but most of all we are not saying AMEN to what has occurred, and joining with them in the overwhelming joy of claiming the blessing and presence of God that they are receiving! We are totally negating the true greatness of God in their life, and ours.
Read Job 26 as he describes God’s greatness after Bildad has sought to trivialize it; here is how Job concludes...
“Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”” Job 26:14 ESV
So when someone wants to share their blessing, and gift from God with you, think twice about dismissing them with a simple exclamation of “God is great!” as you turn to walk away. Grasp the moment, and join in their blessing... saying AMEN to it... which means far more than “so be it”, it is an ancient expression of claiming joint ownership or participation in a blessing or prayer.
Then there are those times when we seek an explanation of some spiritual principle, or godly command, and becoming exhausted, or not being willing to continue on in our exploration and inquiry of God concerning His revelation regarding it, we simply say “God is great!”, and let go of our searching or spiritual quest. Certainly God is great, but not attempting to further understand how great He is by further exploring a blessing He is trying to give us is unacceptable.
God parted the sea to let Moses and the people of Israel pass through it on dry ground, and thus saved them from the Egyptians. When they safely reached the far side and witnessed God destroy the approaching armies of Pharaoh by collapsing the water upon them, they didn’t simply say “God is great” and walk on. No, they praised Him, believed in Him, feared Him, and continue to worship Him to this day by retelling the story over and over again so that none can deny the greatness of God.
“Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.”
Exodus 14:30-31 ESV
Did they understand how God did this? Well, not entirely, but they continue to seek that answer, and have included what they do know in the story that is retold. They understood the wind that God used, but not how He commanded the wind itself, but they never simply said “God is great!”, and stopped seeking, or worshipping.
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.”
Exodus 14:21 ESV
It is so easy to just let go of a lesson that the Lord is trying to teach us by throwing up our hands in surrender, and saying “God is great!”, but in moments like this do we really know how great He is, or are we simply admitting that we are not? Are we being the student who becomes frustrated and exclaims to the teacher “I just can’t get it!”, or “I’ll never understand this!”. Moses made such excuses...
“But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.””
Exodus 4:10 ESV
But God would not let Moses give up, just as He doesn’t want us to give up. He knows what we can do and understand, and continues to lead us on, and teach us of himself...
“Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.””
Exodus 4:11-12 ESV
So, how do we use the term “God is great!”? Do we use it in full understanding, as a part of our description of how great He is, or in a much lesser way as an excuse for not continuing on in our understanding, or to dismiss someone’s prayer or blessing? Let’s contemplate our use of this exclamation today, and determine if we have been honoring God by using it, or simply escaping a true knowledge or encounter with Him.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your many blessings, and for teaching us of your greatness through them. Help us Holy Father to praise you in the fullness of our understanding, and lead us to know your greatness even further, so that our praise and adoration will be increased. Help us to join in the blessings you have given others, and cry out AMEN to their prayers, and blessings so that we might claim them as being ours too. Make the joy of others bubble up within us as if it were our own. Help us in our joining with others to increase their worship and exuberance of praise. Holy, Holy, Holy are you our God who teaches us and reveals your greatness to us. Praised be your name for every increase in understanding you lead us to, and for every new revelation of your greatness. We worship you Lord for your great love, mercy, grace, goodness, and every attribute of you that blesses us so much. Give us pause today as we contemplate your greatness Father, and open our eyes, and hearts, wide to engulf you. Truly you are great, and greatly to behold.
Scriptures recommended by Andrew Murray for further meditation regarding God’s greatness:
“For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”
Psalm 95:3 ESV
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”
Psalm 95:6 ESV
“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.”
Psalm 145:3-7 ESV
“You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Jeremiah 32:18-19 ESV
Rich Forbes