As the pastor droned on about God's power, I stifled a yawn and tuned him out. I'd heard variations on this theme so many times. Yeah, I knew that God was all-powerful. Everyone did, so why were people so insistent about repeating it? I turned my thoughts to issues more important to me, more personal. I felt worthless and unloved. Those thoughts consumed me. Somehow, I didn't see the connection between that morning's sermon and my own thoughts. Yet, learning just how relevant God's power is to who I am changed my life
God loves you. God is powerful. I don't remember when it happened, nor do I remember where. I only remember the moment that things clicked for me. I'd always thought that those two sentences were only vaguely related to each other. When I saw the connection, my life changed. You see, the sentence "God loves you" didn't always carry a lot of weight with me either, and I desperately needed it to. I needed to know that someone loved me, and somehow that sentence didn't do it for me, even though I believed in God. I think that I probably first realized it during a sermon of some sort, but in order for me to know who I am and be secure in that, I need to know who He is.
Job 38:1-20 gives a good reminder of this. We can't even comprehend His power. He is greater than anything here. The moment that I made the (quite obvious) connection that this is the God who loves me changed my life. God's love matters because He is God Almighty, because He is so powerful. He is the God who placed the stars in the sky, who made everything from nothing, who has and will live eternally-- He is the same God who loves me. Who He is matters. This isn't the sheep-cuddling picture of Jesus that hung on our Sunday School classroom walls. This is the Lord of everything who allowed himself to die to conquer our sins. In order to even begin to understand the importance of His love, I needed to remember who it was that loved me.
As a little girl being dragged to Sunday school every week, I had a vague idea of some outer being who came to earth, got killed for my sins, healed some blind people, snuggled some sheep, and wanted to judge my sins. I retained that idea later when I heard of His love. That's not my God. In order to understand a little better why His love matters, I need to learn more about my God. I need to enter into a lifelong study of who He is and never cease to strengthen our relationship. My identity needs to be in who He is. Because He who loves me matters, I matter. I am loved by the Lord and Master of all. I am loved more than I can imagine. That's who I am.
Job 38:1-21
"Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Dress for action like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.
3 Dress for action like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
7 when the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
7 when the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors
when it burst out from the womb,
9 when I made clouds its garment
and thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 and prescribed limits for it
and set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?
when it burst out from the womb,
9 when I made clouds its garment
and thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 and prescribed limits for it
and set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?
12 “Have you commanded the morning since your days began,
and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,
and the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal,
and its features stand out like a garment.
15 From the wicked their light is withheld,
and their uplifted arm is broken.
and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,
and the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal,
and its features stand out like a garment.
15 From the wicked their light is withheld,
and their uplifted arm is broken.
16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea,
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
Declare, if you know all this.
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
Declare, if you know all this.
19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,
and where is the place of darkness,
20 that you may take it to its territory
and that you may discern the paths to its home?
21 You know, for you were born then,
and the number of your days is great!"
and where is the place of darkness,
20 that you may take it to its territory
and that you may discern the paths to its home?
21 You know, for you were born then,
and the number of your days is great!"
