Our God Is An Awesome God
by Terry Broome
Our young people have a devotional song that declares these wonderful words of praise to God. Indeed He is an awesome God. There are qualities about Him that compel our most reverential respect for His power and glory. What a striking personality He is! Our loving Heavenly Father is not a tyrant or impersonal being, but rather one who urges us to come to Him. He’s made it easy and provided the way to approach Him through Jesus Christ. We can now come reverentially as well as boldly or confidently before His throne of grace to petition for His help in our times of need. Heb. 4:14-16, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
That approach is only made possible through Jesus Christ. One who is not in a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ cannot expect a hearing from this loving, Heavenly Father. We are, afterall, “…. children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27 NKJV). For all of us who are so eager to ask God’s help during a stressful time in our lives, we should ponder the significance of being in the right relationship with Him which entitles us to call Him Father. Unfaithfulness in one’s Christian life voids our guarantee of His listening ear. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” (Psalms 66:18).
Ponder these great words of comfort for those who are in the right relationship with Him: The message of Psalms 31 is that we can find our refuge in God. David triumphantly proclaims in Psalms 116:1 that God “has heard my voice”. In turn he was willing to “wait for the Lord” in Psalms 130:5. After Habakkuk cried out to the Lord, “how long wilt thou not hear?” (1:1), he resolves in 2:1 to “watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.” In essence he resolves to listen to the answer that God makes to him.
In the New Testament, the colors and traits of God are clearly seen in the form of Jesus Christ. John 14:9 “…he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” There is clarity in Jesus saying “For God so loved the world…” (John 3:16). Jesus reasons with gentleness and penetrating power in Matthew 6:26, “Behold the fowls of the air….” and “consider the lilies of the field….” (3:28). God provides for them. Will He not much more provide for you? “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Mat 6:30). Why be so faithless? We must understand how much God cares for us. He knows our needs and supplies our wants (Matt. 6:32).
The personality of God reveals that He is searching for you. Jesus died for each of us on the cross. It’s the Father who cares who calls us, “Come Home.”
The author can be reached for comments at 256-574-2489.