Numbers 23:19, Deuteronomy 10:17, Luke 15: 11-31, Romans 1:16-17

Glyn Barrett considers how big and amazing God is

Glyn Barrett

How would you describe God? Go on, really. How can we adequately, genuinely and appropriately describe the Divine?

When people describe God it tends to be in the way that He has revealed Himself to them the most i.e. if He has healed you in the past you will more often than not describe Him as Healer; if you know the mess He has saved you from in the past you are likely to refer to Him as your Saviour; if you are someone with an absent father He steps in and becomes your Heavenly Father.

So then, is God only as great as our understanding? Or is God greater? Is He Big? Or is He Bigger? Is He Good? Or is He Better? Is He just as kind as He is to you? Or is He Kinder? (Don't think about chocolate eggs with surprises inside..I said don't!)

In order to understand God we narrow Him down to something human; something smaller; something we are comfortable with. People may say that He is the best of humanity or better than your best friend, but Numbers 23:19 tells us 'God is not man' (Message).

Deuteronomy 10:17 brings it right home with 'God, your God, is the God of all gods, he's the Master of all masters, a God immense and powerful and awesome.'

God is an EXTRAORDINARY GOD.

We use the word 'awesome' to describe food, what happened today and even what's on TV (anyone remember Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure?) The fact of the matter is that only God is truly awesome i.e. something which inspires awe.

God has an EXTRAORDINARY NATURE.

In the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15: 11-31), the younger of the brothers left home and squandered his inheritance. He 'wandered', 'squandered' and then he 'pondered'. Often we wander through life doing what we want to do, we squander wealth and ambition and then we ponder what our life is all about.

Yet after running away and thinking only of himself the younger prodigal comes home and finds his Dad is waiting at the gate, longing for him to come home. The older son is bewildered. Surely he doesn't deserve to come home and be treated like a King? No. BUT THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT!!

Did we deserve the sacrifice Jesus freely gave at the cross c. 2000 years ago? Nope, not at all.

When we come back to the Father after having sinned, succumbed to temptation, or just wandered elsewhere, we look to heap condemnation on ourselves, make it out like we don't deserve forgiveness. But look at the story of the Prodigal son, the father put on the BEST robes, gave him his BEST ring and brought out a FEAST!

No matter how far we run or where we turn God is ALWAYS waiting for us. He's running towards you, arms open wide.

God has an EXTRAORDINARY METHOD.