“Why do the heathen (nations) rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” Psalm 2:2
Dear Ones:
One of the most difficult and complex issues of the Christian life is to reconcile the idea of the greatness of God with the littleness of “me.” And yet, the Apostle Paul would write, speaking of Christ, “…who loved ME and gave Himself for ME.” (Gal. 2:20) Again, in considering perhaps the most well-known verse in the Bible, we are confronted with the same thing: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jn. 3:16) We have before us the God of the nations, of the world, whose design and purpose is focused on the individual. This knowledge is most extraordinary because, not only does God know how many hairs there are upon our heads, and what is in our hearts before we speak with our lips, but “all is naked and open before Him with Whom we have to do.” There is nothing that He does not know, or see, and yet, in spite of our sin(s), He loves us still.
In considering the “God of the nations,” and how this concept and truth applies to our existence, we need to look back in history. We find that from the beginning of time, and especially, since the fall of man, there has been an ongoing conflict between that which is of God, and that of Satan. God, in His mercy and grace, has maintained for us the testimony of Who and What He is. From the writings of Moses, those of the prophets, to the apostles and disciples…the knowledge of the truth has prevailed. At times, this has been at great cost and loss on the part of those who believed the truth. These were those who were made, in essence, custodians of the truth…watching over it by the grace of God, to maintain its clarity and veracity. Again, numerous have been the attempts of the enemy to snuff out such knowledge through persecution and opposition. So, to this day, the battle rages, the conflict remains a reality. It is a warfare for the truth to be known, embraced, believed and obeyed. For by that everlasting testament of the truth, the “God of the nations” reveals Himself, not only to nations, but also to the individual heart…and Everlasting Life is given.
One last thought on the “impossible thing” as it applies to nations, but also, to the individual heart. When the Lord revealed to Jeremiah in prison, in Jerusalem, which was under siege by the Babylonians, He showed him that regardless of all that was presently transpiring, He, the God of nations and all circumstances, would intervene to bring Israel back to the land, where the temple would be rebuilt. Then He would ask Jeremiah a question: “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of ALL flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? When the rich, young ruler, rose up and walked sadly away from Jesus because he could not bring himself to part with his “riches in order to follow Him, the disciples were brought face to face with the fact that no man can save himself, regardless of sincerity or effort. Is then that the Lord Jesus says, “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:27)
Dear Father, give us to see and to understand that Thou art the God of the nations, but also of the human heart. Help us to grasp that Thou art the God of history, and can do the impossible thing “among the nations” for Thy glory. Strengthen our hearts to believe Thee to do the “impossible” thing in our hearts, and in those of others, that the testimony of thy Truth and Life will shine forth to this generation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad