PSALMS 147:4-5: “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.” NKJV
OBSERVATION: How great is our God? How mighty is He in power? How far reaching is His understanding? As I look at the world around me, and as I contemplate the problems and challenges in my life, what is my concept of God?
I grew up in Southern California during the 1960 – 1970’s. This was at the height of the growth boom. The only mode of transportation of this ever growing populace was the automobile. They had paved over the street car tracks in Los Angeles. Freeways popped up everywhere. And, with all this growth we experienced a new phenomenon – smog!
I lived in a community called Diamond Bar. When we first moved to this community we were the sixth family to move into a new subdivision that only had two streets. Today, Diamond Bar has over 56,000 people living in it. When the weather got warm it created an inversion layer in the atmosphere that trapped the smog. It was not uncommon to lose visibility of the hills in the distance when this happened. The smog was a veil that hid the reality of the beautiful area in which I lived.
When I was married, years later, we still battled with smog. We moved to an area in Rancho Cucamonga that was below the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains. In the summer you could not see the mountains because of the smog layer. In fact, I talked to people who came from back East to relocate to Southern California. They had come in the summer, purchased their home, moved to the community, and then were shocked when the wind changed and they saw the mountains!
Why all this talk about smog? It graphically illustrates what an improper concept of God can do to our faith. When we don’t understand how great God is, it is like the smog veiling the hills and mountains right before our eyes. Our improper concept of God does not affect who He is. Yet, it does affect who He is in our life! We are not apt to place our trust in someone we do not see or understand.
The smog also hid the stars at night. You could not sit out at night and gaze into the heavens to marvel at the constellations. They were veiled by the gray layer that lurked above. When I moved to Texas I was shocked when I looked up into the sky at night. There, before me, where so many stars that I could not even begin to count them. There are an estimated 1 billion stars in our own galaxy. And, we continue to discover new galaxies all the time!
How great is our God?
- “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.”
Before man ever developed his first telescope, before he named his first star, God, who created the heavens, counted them all and called them by name. Just take a moment to let that sink in. Our estimation of the number of stars in our galaxy is just that – it is an estimate. Yet, the Lord counts the exact number, and He has personally named each and every star! If He can do that, is there anything that is too difficult for Him?
Smog is also like my limited perspective and intellect. I can only see so much. I can only know so much. My knowledge is limited to what I can see, touch, read, and understand. Yet, God’s knowledge is infinite. Our finite minds cannot even grasp the concept of infinite. We can draw a symbol to represent it. We can add a definition to the word. Yet, we cannot fully grasp what it means to have neither a beginning or an end.
How great is our God?
- “Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.”
He is all knowing. He is all powerful. He counts the stars in the heavens and calls them by name. And, He sees our going out and our coming forth, from this time and forevermore. If this is true, and it is, then He knows exactly what we are going through right now. Nothing takes the Creator of the Universe by surprise. And, as we trust Him, His loving power, wisdom, and grace will be extended to meet us at the point of our need.
Lord, this morning, please blow away the smog of worry, fear, and unbelief from my life. Open my eyes to see your glory, power, wisdom, and strength. Let me cast all my cares upon You and rest in Your faithfulness and care for my life.
- “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” I John 4:4 NKJV
Our God is a Great God!
In Jesus Name!
