Be Present: Another Common Cliché by Barbara Quaye

We are surrounded by so many clichés. These are phrases or ideas that have lost meaning over time. A particular cliché that comes to mind is “there’s no place like home.” This is an interesting truth if think about it. You can travel anywhere from Canada to Costa Rica, from Guyana to Germany, but nothing is more comforting than to be in your own surroundings.

I find it a shame when something powerful becomes cliché or commonplace. Many of us have known GOD for a long time and we are so familiar with Bible verses like John 3:16. We know that GOD is powerful and amazing but we don’t always take time to grasp that reality. One day it explicitly dawned on me, GOD is GOD. He is everything and He deserves so much honor, glory, and respect. The thought humbled me. I am not the first person to have had one of these “ah-ha” moments. One songwriter says,

O Lord my God, 

When I in awesome wonder, 

Consider all 

The worlds Thy Hands have made. . .

Then sings my soul, 

My Savior God to thee, 

How great thou art,

How great thou art.

Have you ever stared at the twinkling spots in the velvet night sky? They are innumerous. We are told they are light years away but they seem so close and GOD made each one.

You can read crazy accounts of GOD’s power in the Bible. I invite you to look at them as if this is your first time reading them like the way it is for a new child of GOD. Think about when the Israelites left Egypt but came between a rock and a hard place: mountains beside them, Egyptians behind them, and the Red sea before them. Then GOD used Moses to part the seas! Who does that? Can you imagine this awesome display of the Israelites walking on dry ground with the sea hundreds of feet above them, suspended in mid air?

What about when Daniel’s friends were taken to the fiery furnace. When you read the story, you are pretty sure these guys will be toast, literally. But the Bible says they cast in with hands bound, into the furnace, but when they were inside, the ropes came off and they walked freely within. How is this so? When these men came out there was no smell smoke on them. What an awesome GOD.

Let’s look at Jesus in the New Testament. The things He did were all phenomenal but the account of Lazarus especially comes to mind. This man was very sick and his sisters asked Jesus to come heal him but by the time Jesus arrived Lazarus had died. Then Jesus did the most unimaginable thing and raised him from the dead. Whoa. What manner of man is this?

Psalm 46:10 says, “Cease striving and know that I am GOD.” Just read that and meditate on it. He is GOD. He is the beginning and the end. He forms the fingertips of an unborn child. He directs lightning across the sky.

And this all-powerful GOD loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). He who is everything wants to be your everything. Verse 11 says, “The GOD of Jacob is our stronghold.”

May the powerful reality of GOD be ever present in our lives. It’s my hope that, “Our GOD is an Awesome GOD!” never becomes a cliché.

Encounter the Word

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." --Zephaniah 3:17 [NIV]

Encounter

• What are some things about GOD that humble you?
• How GOD has shown is power in your life?  What personal stories might you tell?
• How would you describe GOD’s love for you?  Where in your life have you seen His affection?

 Devotional by Barbara Quaye of Younger Generation Church.  Posted by A. Allan Martin by permission.