How Big is God?
By Peter Crause
1Kings
Whenever
God was “seen” by people in the
scripture record, he was seen in the form of a man or angel. The personage seen
was no bigger than a normal person; yet John said:
John 1:18 No man has seen God
at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has
revealed him.
What
then was “seen” by Old Testament
worthies such as Abraham? Who “came down”
and spoke with the elders of
The
only conclusion we can draw is that God took on a “form” which was temporary, to speak with man – something man could
understand and relate to. God in essence is a Spirit being with no bounds. The
entire universe is filled with His presence continually. He has never “vacated” His domain. He ever rules and
reigns in His creation. Every blade of grass is infused with His presence; yet
the blade of grass is not Him – He is ever over and above His creation. There
is no place we can go where He is not. David said “Whither shall I flee from
your presence?” This is both a frightening and a comforting fact. It is frightening in that we really have no “privacy” and cannot hide anything from
the Lord; and comforting in that He knows and sees all our griefs, pains and
dangers.
Theologians call this “omnipresence” – which leads to
“omniscience” – or the attribute of “all
knowing”; since He is everywhere and sees all. There is nothing God doesn’t know! Know
anyone that big and powerful? The Psalmist gives us some insight:
Psalm 8:3 - 4 When I consider your
heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set
in place; What is man, that you are mindful of him and the son of man, that you
visit him?
What
is man indeed? He’s nothing more than dust of the earth, yet boasts great
things and dares to defy the One of whom we speak. Puny man who has become an “astronaut” or a “cosmonaut” so called; who has barely left his “front door” now thinks he knows more than God? What a joke! Because we haven’t and cannot “see” God with our natural eyes, dare we brazenly declare there is
no God?
God’s
greatness goes far beyond our comprehension. He cannot be understood or grasped
with the mind – He is “mind boggling”.
His ways are incomprehensible. To our thinking His motivations and ways are
strange – otherworldly. The most incomprehensible thing is: Why does God love mankind and why did He
go to such great lengths to save us? He has no “need” that we can perceive. In His greatness He can create whatever
He desires; yet in His “omnipotence” – all power – He has love that is equally
great. “God so loved, that He
gave…”
This
great “all knowing”; “all powerful”; “everywhere present” God and creator of
the universe took on a permanent form in His only begotten Son; the Lord Jesus
Christ. The unseen became visible. The unknown became comprehensible. The
untouchable became flesh and blood – and died a death for every one of Adam’s
race. Yet God cannot die – He still
filled the universe while Jesus was dying on the cross. Mystery of
mysteries is this! Wonder of wonders that our finite minds can never fully
understand. Paul could only declare:
1Ti 3:16 and without controversy
great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in
the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the
world, received up into glory.
Under
the “Old Covenant” we see God’s
holiness and character; His hatred for sin and justice in dealing with it.
Under the “New Covenant” we see
God’s heart! The fear and dread of the Almighty is taken away in Christ and we
can now meet with Him and speak with Him – in fact we can call him “daddy”. He is still awesome and holy.
He is still omnipresent and omnipotent and omniscient; but now He has shown His
heart – it is “all love” and He
invites us puny, insignificant, “dust of the earth” to come boldly into His presence
and have fellowship with Him.
How
big is God? He’s as big to you as you will allow Him to be. The bigger He
becomes to you the smaller and more insignificant your problems become. Trust
Him – He is well able to “carry you through” – whatever it is you need to be “carried
through”. Place you faith and confidence in the One who loves you. Return His
love. He gave all – how about returning the favor?