Awesome God

In his now-celebrated and controversial speech at a Detroit Church last Sunday, Sen Lieberman spoke of our "awesome God." This is a word that I do not think would be used by anyone who did not know and love the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The New Age gods and spirits of whom we hear so much today are not awesome. They wait to be approached with spiritual techniques; they do not thunder down from Mount Sinai with holy and righteous laws; they do not speak from the whirlwind, as God did to Job; they do not commission Prophets to speak to Kings, as God did through Elijah. The Biblical God speaks, and his Word has the power to bring into being that which it describes: "let there be light!" And there was light".

How real is God to you? Is he as near to you as your front door? Do you know him as a living reality in your heart? Can you recite his awesome deeds, as every believing Israelite could do? Do you know of his justice and mercy proclaimed in the Psalms? Are you thrilled by the words "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one Lord"? There is nothing like the Bible because there is no other God like the God whose Word is alive in it. Let us love the living God; let us praise the living God; let us give glory to the living God. This is what the Church is for. Listen to these wonderful words from Deuteronomy:

"Behold, to the Lord our God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it; yet the Lord set his heart in love upon your father's and chose their descendents after them, you above all peoples, is at this day" (10:14)

Think of it: you are those chosen descendents of the fathers and mothers. You are God's people whom he loves. You have been elected by him to reflect his glory in the world. He lives; He acts; He rules;

O worship the King, all glorious above!
O gratefully sing his power and his love . . .
His mercies, how tender, how true to the end;
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.