Thursday, October 19, 2017

Who Do You Think I Am? - The God Who Does Wonders


Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. - Psalm 77:14

I love Psalm 77.  It is an honest look at a bad day (or stretch of days) for the Christian.  But more than that, it is a beautiful picture of what this entire study on the titles of God is all about.  It is about choosing to focus on God instead of the problem.  In it, we see the psalmist drastically shift his perspective.

In verses one through nine, Asaph pours out his heartache.  He whines.  He complains.  He even confesses that he's complaining.  He holds nothing back.  The pity party has officially begun.  But look at what happens in verses ten through twelve:  And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

It's as if Asaph flipped some mental switch, and suddenly he said, "This is my problem, but rather than focusing on it, I will remember Who God is and what He's done.  I will meditate on Him and His wondrous works."  That's exactly why I wanted to do this study!  When difficult situations arise, I want to do just as Asaph did.  I long to say, "Yes, things look dim, but I know God is my refuge, my strength, my fortress, my hope and on and on."  I want to focus on God instead of the problem.

In the remainder of the chapter, the psalmist spells out some of the wonders God had performed.  In essence, he was taking himself through a mental checklist of what God was capable of doing.  He was reminding himself of God's power and faithfulness, and we can do the same.  When we're staring down a boulder-sized problem, we can remember that God moves mountains.  When facing a sea of doubt or indecision, we can hold fast to the truth that God parts waters, calms waters and even walks on water.  Whatever the situation, there's a miracle in the Bible that displays God's power to overcome it.  Sickness?  No big deal.  Heartache?  He's got this.  Hunger?  He's the Bread of Life.  Death?  Yep, He has even defeated that foe.  There is nothing He cannot do.  No mountain is too big; no problem is too small.  He is the God that does wonders.

Notice the present tense in that verse.  The psalmist didn't say, "You are the God who did wonders" or "You are the God who used to do wonders."  No, he boldly declared, "You are the God who does wonders."  Miracles are not a thing of the past.  They were not reserved for those who lived in Biblical times.  Miracles occur every day.  Often, we're simply too focused on our problems to notice them.  But make no mistake, God is still working miracles.  He did back then. He does today.  And He will continue to perform mighty works in the future.  Cling to that truth when your situation seems impossible, for God specializes in impossible things.


For an in-depth look at some of the miracles of the New Testament, 
I encourage you to check out my book, He's Still Working Miracles.



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