OUR DEVOTIONAL

When my son, Mark, was about three years old, he was playing and running in the house, fell, and hit a table leg. Mark’s mouth was a bloody mess and one of his front teeth was knocked very loose. I try not to remember how painful and traumatic it was for him. As for me, it certainly shook me up, but I switched into action mode. I called our dentist and he met us for an after-hours appointment. I don’t remember the details, but the tooth was “saved” and Mark was able to keep it until a more age appropriate time to lose it.

Mark’s craft from his Bible class that morning was a paper rock with his memory verse on it: 1 Samuel 2:2 “No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.” While at the dentist’s, I remembered the verse and it reminded me that He was my rock and He was with us in this. The Lord strengthened me and gave me peace and got both of us through this painful experience.

Later, I went back to the Bible verse and considered who God is and why there is no one holy (set apart, sacred) like Him and how He stands alone. I searched the scriptures and read who God was over the centuries. And He is still this God today. Our God is holy and He is great. God is very great!

This is our God: His power is absolute. His understanding is beyond comprehension. The LORD is righteous in everything he does. He cannot do any wrong or break His promises. He is always just and fair. He keeps the universe in order. He hears every prayer. And answers every one! He does great things. (Remember the plagues and the Red Sea? The fishes and the loaves? The healing of the lame man at the temple gate?) He has a plan to prosper every one of us individually. He loves us with an unending love. Just think on that!

Here are two of the best things about how great God is. Jesus came to earth as a man to live and die for us so we could be reconciled to God and live in heaven forever with Him. (See John 15:13) God sent the Holy Spirit to live in us as our Helper and Comforter. (John 14:16-17; 26 and John 16:7-15)
Moses, near the end of his life, said this: “O Sovereign LORD, you have only begun to show your greatness and the strength of your hand to me, your servant. Is there any god in heaven or on earth who can perform such great and mighty deeds as you do?” Deuteronomy 3:24

The word “great” doesn’t do justice; it isn’t enough. We are limited in our understanding and expression of how holy, how great God is. I love and serve a great and mighty God, but more important than that is that this great and mighty God loves me! I hope you will take time to search the Bible for yourself and see how great God is.

FAMILY MOMENT

As a family talk about how great God is. What does He do for you? Do you see Him in the world around you? Ask each person to answer this question: What is great about God?

Next, find (or have prepared) a medium-to-large rock. Using a permanent marker or paint, write as many of the ideas you came up with on it as you can. Put it somewhere you’ll see it regularly.

PRAYER & REFLECTION

1. When’s the last time you looked at a beautiful sunrise, a rainbow, or even your child’s smile and thanked God for His wonderful creation and praised Him for being great?
2. Think of a time when something amazing happened in your life and you knew it was the Lord acting on your behalf. Stop and thank Him for His great love for you!
3. Read all Psalm 145 and meditate on how very great God is.