Why Do We Say That?

Great and awesome is our God! Good Monday morning, and I hope that is not a contradiction in terms for you. The Super Bowl teams are set and I won't mention the interesting side story that you will no doubt hear until you change the channel. Maybe tomorrow or Friday we can talk about the other James and John. Notice the first statement this morning: Great and awesome is our God. Why do we say that?

Not that God is not, or that we have any doubt, but why do we say that God is great and awesome and then fail to trust in Him? If we will not or cannot do it, why do we say it? I think it comes down to the battle raging within our hearts and minds. The flesh wants to trust in only its own ability and strength, though these have proven inadequate time and again. The carnal desire wants to rebel against God and seeks to overthrow the spirit's communion with God's Holy Spirit. The Devil, our adversary, also wants to cast doubt and fear into our inner dialog. It isn't that we don't trust in God, but that we have all this opposition going on at the same time!

We say it to put that stamp of God's authority on the statement. Great and awesome is our God because His Spirit tells us so. We say it as a reminder. The forces of the world only seem strong, but our God is truly great and awesome. We say it to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Sin is the problem with this world, but look at what our great and awesome God did through His Son. We say it as a comfort. The first statement may sound a little weepy and weak, but our great and awesome God gives us strength to repeat it until we can say it with authority. Great and awesome is our God!

Bucky