Awe Inspiring

[0:00] A pastor's reflections, awe-inspiring.! Exodus 17, 6. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

[0:18] Hebrews 10, 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Luke 2, 10. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

[0:38] Our God is an awesome God. He is marvelous and magnificent. He works wonders in the heavens above and the earth beneath. He holds the universe in the palm of his hands and he holds you and I there as well.

[0:53] The reality of the magnitude of the God we serve is at times overwhelming. It is an awe-inspiring thing to realize just how all-powerful our God is.

[1:04] And even more so, when we come to understand just how absolutely opposed to him we find ourselves at times. How could I ever think to stand against a God like this?

[1:19] In Exodus 17, Israel had once again found themselves in just such a situation. Having experienced the magnitude of God's power, they nevertheless persisted in their rebellion to God by questioning, not God's power, but his faithfulness.

[1:37] God had delivered them from Egypt, defeated their enemies, and provided provision for them as they journeyed. But as Israel found themselves in a dry place without water, they forgot about God's past faithfulness and persisted in their own present faithlessness.

[1:55] How did God respond? As God always responds to his people, with grace. God will always be gracious, but his people will not always appropriate that grace.

[2:08] As God brought water forth from a rock, imagine the joy of the people as they see their need miraculously met by an all-powerful and always gracious God. However, one has to hope that God's faithfulness in the face of Israel's faithlessness would cause God's people to not just stand in awe of his power, but of his grace.

[2:34] When you and I put our faith in Christ, we too, like Israel, come under the care and concern of an almighty God. There has never been a time in our past journeying that God's faithfulness has failed.

[2:47] And there will never be a time in our future journeying that his faithfulness will fail either. It is truly an awe-inspiring thing to realize the extent of God's grace in our lives.

[3:00] And never more so when we find that he is still faithful, even when we are not. 1 Peter 5.10 But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after that you have suffered a while, make you complete, established, strengthened, and settle you.

[3:23] Today, do not question God's faithfulness simply because you have questions about the journey. Trust an almighty God and an all-loving God.

[3:34] Appropriate his grace to you by faith. Ephesians 2.8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God.

[3:47] Father, thank you for the remarkable, awe-inspiring gift of your grace. Thank you that the love and faithfulness of God will never fail towards his people, even when his people fail towards him.

[4:00] Help us today to appropriate grace instead of grumbling. Keep us pursuing you as we journey forward. Hebrews 13.25 Grace be with you all.

[4:13] Amen. Amen.