By: Jana

Read: Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30, Luke 9:51-10:12, Psalm 74:1-23, Proverbs 12:11

You, O God, are my king from ages past, bringing salvation to the earth.
You split the sea by your strength and smashed the heads of the sea monsters.
You crushed the heads of Leviathan and let the desert animals eat him.
You caused the springs and streams to gush forth, and you dried up rivers that never run dry.
Both day and night belong to you; you made the starlight and the sun.
You set the boundaries of the earth, and you made both summer and winter.
(Psalm 74:12-17)

Relate: For Christians, it is essential to know that God is Almighty, omnipotent, and sovereign. No one is more powerful than Him, and nothing is impossible with the Lord. This is something we always say when talking about the Lord. This is what Asaph was saying in this Psalm. When he wrote that God crushed the heads of Leviathan, or that the day and night were His, the psalmist wanted to express how God’s abilities have absolutely no limits.

Of all the qualities or attributes of God, Christians would mention first omnipotence as one of the most common. We like to say that, but can we truly fathom what God’s power is like? What are the actual extents of this? Due to our finite minds, we can’t fully grasp this truth. We believe it for what it is. We know that God performs miracles and that He can do anything, but we will never completely comprehend it as long as we live on earth.

React: When I first read this Psalm, it came out as somber, solemn, and like the psalmist was accepting his fate. However, as one delves deeper into its meaning, it becomes evident that Asaph was trying to put into words what we can’t. This description will never be enough. When I was younger, I just thought that God was all-powerful. I didn’t really know how deep that truth really went. This is something I learned as I matured in my faith. Even if the words in Psalm 74 are big ones, like crushed, king, and all of that sort, it is still insufficient. We can’t do God justice.

What we can do is believe the miracles and signs of His power that He has graciously been showing us. That’s our choice to make. That is something completely within our control. That is our part in all this. It is not for us to explain or to understand God’s power. It’s important to just believe and know that it is the truth. I think this is what many fail at, even me. I’ve focused on the wrong things about the capabilities of God. This is a mistake many Christians make that they realize later on in their walk with God.

Respond:

Dear Heavenly Father,
No words could truly express your unlimited power. No human being can entirely fathom your abilities. Give us the faith to believe, to trust, and to fully rely on You. Thank You for revealing Yourself and showing that You are near. May we find comfort and refuge in You, knowing that You bring salvation and that You own this whole universe. I know that what is important is not for us to understand at this point, but to believe all the signs He has given us. We thank You, Lord, for all this, and in advance for all You will do for us in the future. In Your mighty name, I pray.
Amen.