Don't Get too Comfortable!

Over the course of the last week or so, I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about just how big God is. What started me thinking in this line was a video that I came across on Tuesday. (If you'd like to check out the video, here it is.) I have to say, it absolutely blew my mind.

After watching, I found myself thinking over and over again about how inconceivable God really is. I started thinking about how wondrous it is that he loves me - little, insignificant ME! All of last week was consumed with these kinds of thoughts. Again, the implications of that video completely blew my mind!

As I started to think about my relationship with God and my perception of him, I found myself dealing with some conviction. Considering what I’d seen that video and how I had been interacting with God, I suddenly felt like I’d become way too familiar and cozy with him. I suddenly felt like I'd been under estimating and under appreciating him in a huge way. Let me explain what I mean.

When I consider my place in the universe, the fact is that I’m utterly insignificant; all of us are. The flip side of that is this, when I consider God’s place in the universe the complete opposite is true. He is supremely significant! The whole universe - all those millions and billions of stars and galaxies rest in his hand; under his authority!

Now, with that fact in mind, I started to consider how I pray. I started to consider how I worship. I started to consider how I think about God. The more I considered, the more I felt convicted. I’ve had things backwards! I am not central. I am not significant in this universe. Only God is! I exist for him and his glory; not the other way around!

With this in mind I’ve found my posture in prayer and interaction with God being made over across the last few days. I’ve found myself completely humbled at the thought of my insignificance up against his supreme magnitude. I’ve been even more humbled by the thought that God cares for me - even as insignificant as I am! 

David said it this way:

What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

- Psalm 8:4

There are three things that I’ve taken away from this past week.

1) Thinking about God and his supremacy in and over the universe should naturally result in an ever deepening humility in my hearts.

Just the thought of the vastness of God’s creation, and how big and holy he must be to do such work should press a button that triggers humility deep down within our souls! The thought that the massive and supreme God who holds all of this universe together has any awareness at all of us should take our breath away - not to mention that he loves us to the point of sacrificing his son for our salvation! This is scandalous stuff! It really is unfathomable. If we see think about God this way, then it should compel us to live every day with an ever deepening humility.

2) The natural bi-product of this ever deepening humility is complete submission to God and his supremacy. 

If we are humbled before God, then it follows that we ought to be completely submitted to him. This is sticky for us in our culture. We all to often feel entitled to God’s gracious nature. We easily get caught up in thinking he exists to serve us. Our cultural perspective tells us that God is there to give us stuff, and heal our sickness, and make us prosper. Yes, God is gracious and he kindly does these things for us according to his will. However, it is a huge mistake to think these are the reasons why he exists! He does not exist for us! He was before the beginning of time. The idea that he exists for us is.. frankly put...  stupid. The fact is we exist for him and that fact has two implications:

A) resisting him is futile. 
B) submission to him is the only thing that makes sense.
C) The humbled and submissive heart is overwhelmed with gratitude.

When we humble ourselves before God and posture ourselves to submit to him, it follows that we will enjoy him more and more! The thought that God, in all of his glory and magnificence, would do anything at all for us should be cause for overflowing gratitude. Oh, but how much does he do for us and how much does he give!?  WOW! If we are humble and submissive before him, how can we not be completely satisfied and grateful in him?

As we get into this week, I hope you’ll consider some of this. I hope you’ll take a look at your walk with God. I hope you’ll reassess how you see him and how he sees you. I hope today’s email will be a reminder that when it comes to our relationship with God, it is important that we don’t get too comfortable.

No questions this week!