Personal Devotional – The Awesomeness and Closeness of God

Image from Wikipedia.

Taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Scripture: Isaiah 40:12

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales,
and the hills in a balance?
(NIV)

The Lord is amazing, awesome, wonderful. He is so immensely great, so massive, that the entirety of the heavens – the universe, and all within it, can be measured in His hand! All that we see in the universe, the magnificence of the sun, moon, stars, distant galaxies, was commanded into existence by His voice. Yet God, in His omnipotence, is also immanent. He is here. He is Immanuel, God with us. He is so immense, yet here is close enough to be with us.

He sustains me in the difficult times. Even when I can’t sense His presence, He is here. When life has become a difficult journey through a dry wilderness, where death and danger lurk at every corner, He is here. He triumphs in this wilderness.

What would I do without the sustaining peace and joy of my Lord? Life has been hard, so hard lately.  Disease, sickness, exhaustion and frustration mark every week. Jealousy and envy threaten to take over when I feel like others are more favoured than I. But I realise that I have been seeking the temporary, the momentary comforts and pleasures of this mortal life. I seek my Lord, I look beyond this life, and look to that which is unseen. And it is there that I find my peace.

There is more to life than this moment on Earth. So I remind myself to live with my eyes on the One who is greater than the Earth, greater than the world. What can this life offer but fleeting moments of comfort, money, possessions, the applause of mortal men? It pales when I look upon the God who made the entirety of the universe with His command, who, in six days, fashioned the Earth, heavens, and its myriad beautiful creatures. He is so great, yet He cares deeply for the destiny of those who walk this Earth. What more can I want but to live in His presence?

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Further Scriptures:
•    Genesis 1:14-19 – the creation of the sun, moon and stars.
•    Genesis 1:31 – the very good creation completed in six days.
•    Matthew 1:20-23 – Jesus would be called “Immanuel,” meaning ‘God with us.’
•    2 Corinthians 4:8-18 – life can be difficult at times, but with the life of Christ within me I am sustained. I look to the things that I cannot yet see; and I look beyond the temporary world in which I live right now.
•    Galatians 5:19-21 – the sinful nature brings jealousy and envy.

Dictionary -
omnipotence – this word means “all powerful,” and is used to refer to God being the most powerful being in existence.
immanence – this means that God sustains and pervades the universe – that is, He is all through the universe. He is close, nearby, and able to be everywhere.