HINDS COUNTY GAZETTE
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P.O. Box 729-110 Pt. Gibson St. - Raymond, MS 39154
(601) 783-2441
From the Pastor’s Pen:
“God is Almighty...” (Psalm 145:3)
Zachery Byrd
“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.”
(Psalm 145:3)
Many of us confess the Apostles’ Creed each Sunday, and the first line pulsates with both power and comfort. “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” God is not somewhat mighty, God is not mostly mighty, God is almighty. All might, all power, all strength resides in Him and flow from Him. Conceptually, this is hard for us to fathom, isn’t it? We can measure the strength of storms, and we can quantify the power of nations. But how do we put a number on God’s might? Wisdom tells us that the answer is not to measure, but to be in awe and wonder at what His power has done.
Look around! Isn’t there plenty to be in awe of? As the ol’ hymn sings: “I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.” God formed the heaven and earth and all that is in them with a word. From the stars of heaven to the budding blooms of the Mississippi Magnolias, God formed the raging power of one and the delicate purity of the other with His almighty power. From the host of heaven to the clods of dirt called “man,” God formed them without leaving His heavenly throne. God simply spoke a word of power, and it was. Even our own bodies of which John Calvin called a “tiny universe,” God fearfully and wonderfully made. And after generations of medical advancement, our doctors still have the humility to answer our questions with “We don’t know.” The might of the medical community is nothing compared to the Almighty God in creation.
Don’t stop looking! The Westminster Shorter Catechism says concerning God’s providence that it is “His most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.” You know, it takes more power to upkeep than to create. Am I right? From the rise and fall of nations to a receding hair line, both are moved by the powerful providence of our God. Satan’s power against Job was curtailed by the almighty power of God. The waves of the mighty Jordan River were stayed by the almighty hand of God. “He upholds the universe by the word of His power.” (Hebrews 1:3) As R.C. Sproul once said, “There are no maverick molecules in the universe.”
Don’t stop looking! The almighty power of God is most clearly displayed in the powerful salvation wrought by Jesus Christ. Here, we see both the almighty power of God at work against sin, but we also see the almighty power of God at work for us. In Christ, the almighty power of God is at work for us. If you are in Christ, you can be assured that everything which happens in life happens according to the almighty power of our Heavenly Father. Does that not alleviate our fears? When we wrestle with everything from losing keys to losing loved ones, from flat tires to health failures, we can trust that the almighty power of God is at work for us. Let this create in us a peace and patience which passes all understanding. When times get hard, it is not because God’s power has failed or because God has lost control. We can keep ourselves in control because the Almighty God is in control. He is powerful.