Sunday, February 1, 2009

A Meditation on the Power of God's Acts

It was a small, simple rain fall--no down pour, no deluge--just a simple rain this past Monday and Tuesday in Paducah, Kentucky. I wasn't there, but was given two first-hand accounts from close friends of mine who live there. A small gentle rain that brought the town and the entire area, including across the state line north in Illinois, to a complete standstill. Thousands lost electrical power and many still do not have it. Because of a simple rain--combined with one other factor--the temperature.

When God combines those two simple, yet very big factors, His amazing power is quickly seen in nature. Seen in such a way that it brings the earth, its inhabitants, and all activities to a stand still. Men quickly see that they are limited, frail, completely dependent, and very vulnerable.

This is what happened in Paducah and the surrounding area, as virtually every tree in the area was damaged; some areas there look like a war zone. Approximately 1-2 inches of ice covered everything, followed by 2-3 inches of snow. The weight of the ice was such that, at least in one instance, a telephone pole snapped and fell, pulling down the lines, simply because of the sheer weight of the ice.

Ice falling from the sky snaps a telephone pole. Only God can do that.

Single blades of grass were surrounded by 2 inches of ice encircling them. Only God can do that.

But do we notice God in it? Does it cause our hearts to immediately gravitate to Him? Do we see it as the amazing and immediate power of God or only as nature, or worst, as mother nature?

The power of God coming through a gentle rain and some freezing temps. It is often the case that we see the glory and the power of God, not just in the huge events of nature, such as hurricane Katrina, a tornado, or a powerful lightning storm. The "smaller" acts of God in nature are just as powerful and amazing-- an ice storm that comes with a whisper, that comes calling softly, all the time saying, "Look and behold the power of God." Let him who has eyes to see, see the power of God in the soft coming of ice that brings man's ways to a stop and brings God's power to the fore front. Jesus commands the rain to come and then He turns His thermostat down, and look what happens.

Tonight, I looked up at a half moon, blazing in the north Texas sky, shining in its glory; Jesus is upholding that moon tonight by the very word of His power; does it amaze me still? When I see it, do I stop and talk to the One who is holding it up at that moment? His name is Jesus and He is my Saviour, the One who loves me and keeps me by the same mighty power--its He who is daily revealing His power in all kinds of ways, and it is there for us to see and stand amazed.

We can behold the power of God daily--if we will; if we will open our eyes and see God in it all. What have you seen this past week, even today, that put you in awe and made you say, "Behold, the power of God!"

- Mack T.

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