Reading God’s word is absolutely essential.
I heard that if we could travel at the speed of light it would take one second to reach the moon. To reach the edge of the universe, at the same light speed, would take 46 1/2 billion years. Light travels so rapidly that it can never be in a place but (Job 38:19) dwells in a way. This is beyond my comprehension and fills me with awe and worship before the Sovereign Creator, Sustainer and Controller of His vast universe. A global pandemic on the little planet Earth is never out of God’s control, the same God to Whom the nations are like a drop from a bucket, as small dust (Isaiah 40:15) on the scales. He takes up the isles as a very little thing, and yet - - on this little planet Earth, there was a hill called Mount Calvary where the MAN Christ Jesus, the Son of God, paid in full for the sin-debt of the whole world. God created all the planets but He didn’t choose the largest one to populate and redeem. Doesn’t awe increase as we consider the magnificent wonders of the Lord our God? Don’t let us be robbed of awe by taking God’s wonders for granted.
I was thinking about Sennacherib, King of Assyria, when he returned to Nineveh. He was murdered (Isaiah 37:38) by his sons with a sword. Just as God had said (Isaiah 37:7) he would die. But actually, I was thinking more about his god Nisroch. Something obvious about idols struck me in a new way. They are man-made out of materials (gold, silver, bronze, wood, stone) which were created by Almighty Holy God. Whether idols are carved, visible images or hidden, inner invisible masters – all idols and all false religions are demonic perversions. (Do you feel a tingle of holy fear?) Look at just a few of many subtle idols: - Fleshly pride is self-worship which is a perversion of holy worship for God alone.
Selfishness and greed are perversions of compassion and generosity. Sexual lust, that can run wild, is a perversion of pure intimacy within a marriage. Lies and lying are perversions of Truth. There must be truth in order for anyone to lie. Also, we must know Truth in order to be equipped to discern lies and error. That’s why regularly reading God’s word is absolutely essential. We are responsible for what we know and responsible for what we could have known. If the Word of Christ dwells richly in us (Colossians 3:16) it will build godly character in us. Universal salvation is a deceitful, deadly perversion of the Gospel of God’s Grace which proclaims Jesus as the One and Only Way of eternal salvation. An idol is anything which usurps God’s rightful place and takes first place in your thoughts and life. If you think you are hiding something in your inner self, it is (1 John 2:18, 1 John 4:3) the spirit of antichrist. Listen to these Words from the Lord – “Am I a God at hand says the Lord (Jeremiah 23:23-24) and not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?” Keep yourselves (1 John 5:21) from idols and the world system. The world culture is (1 John 5:19) under the control of Satan – SO – seek those things which are above (Colossians 3:1-2) where Christ is. If we make it a practice to continually seek those things which are above, we’ll know the joy and security of (Colossians 3:3) a life hid with Christ in God. Someone expressed a well-known truth in a way that I think is beautiful. “Mercy is God’s HEART, He doesn’t give us what we deserve. Grace is God’s HAND, He gives us what we don’t deserve”.
As we pursue a deepening relationship with our loving Lord, we will find that – (Dr. A.W.Tozer) “God is easy to live with, the sum of all patience, the essence of kindly good will.” We will be able to say with Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:8) the good hand of my God is upon me. If we heed the warnings of God, obey His Word and stand firm on His promises - - our awe, faith, love and worship will grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
Did you know that the Lord has a book of remembrance (Malachi 3:16) and He records those who think on His Name. Is your name and my name recorded in that book? We can very easily say or sing – Holy is the Lord Who was, Who is and Who is to come. Let us never do that again, never again utter those words thoughtlessly without reverence.
I want to leave you with an awe-maker that fills me with wordless worship. (Isaiah 41:4) Before history began, before He called forth the generations, God was ever-present and unchanging. He still is and He will be forever. Faith that has God, doesn’t have questions (John 16:23) and doesn’t need answers.