In the Word: God is Great

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be pouring over Scripture with the goal of knowing God increasingly as He truly is. As we study together, we encourage you to use the comments as a place to dialogue with us about what you are learning and share your answers to the questions below. We pray that you hearts will be encouraged as you study these names of God along with us! 

Knowing Our Glorious God

“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.”
Psalm 145:3

READ:

A couple of years ago while having coffee with another woman who had experienced baby loss, I remember talking about bereaved mothers and what she called our “‘Why?’ gap.” “God allowed my child to die because…”—whatever follows is what bereaved mothers put as the “answer” for the pain of loss, the “why.” Often, pursuing these “answers” means we are trying to fill the gap in our understanding about the unsearchable purposes of God.

Believers are told that our sorrows on this earth will work together for our good and God’s glory (Rom. 8:28)—so, I believe we can certainly praise God for the good purposes visible to our sights that come alongside of great loss. And we can be ready for every opportunity the Lord grants for sharing the gospel of Christ and exhibiting faithfulness amidst grief. And yet—ultimately—filling the “‘Why?’ gap” is not our role.

The story of Job teaches this principle. God speaks to sufferer Job of His unfathomable greatness—without giving specific answers to the “Why?” kinds of questions for Job’s pain. And after listening to God, Job simply confesses that God—his great God—has made him content: “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you” (Job 42:5). The greatness of God—and how the finite cannot fully comprehend the infinite, and the sinful cannot fully fathom the holy—makes us fall in awe before Him. When He is in our sights, our grand view of Him satisfies us with nothing “more” than Himself—what could possibly be more? For “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3). If we desire to increase our holy, reverent awe—we can seek for more truth about God to be placed before our sights, just as God lovingly does for Job.

Now, by way of application, I am aware that writing online is a very visible outlet of service—and so, I strive to be all the more aware that there are excellent and faithful worshipers of the Lord who do not have as visible outlets of service. Others have ministries involving quiet conversations, behind-the-scenes service, prayer, etc. Without this in my view, how easy it is for “visible” to equate with “great” in my sights! The Lord has a far different teaching: “The greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matt. 23:11). Jesus sees a different picture than man because He fully sees that God alone is great—or in the words of D. A. Carson: “God does not give his glory to another.”¹

Because of this, I pray that I might not aim to make myself or my departed daughter “great,” highly-regarded, acknowledged, or famous in the eyes of the man. Instead, when I focus on God’s surpassing greatness—including His purposes and plans that are wonderfully beyond me—I see that greatness surrounding myself or pursuing service as a way to make my daughter’s memory great would only be an illusion. I have found that if I want to serve the Lord well out of my sorrow, I need to humble myself. I cannot seek to go too low; before infinite greatness, low is never too low. What more could any of us desire than to humbly follow our God who alone is great?

REFLECT:

• Read Job 38-41. I have heard of God, but have I seen Him? How might the Holy Spirit be prompting me to grow my view of God to be greater?
• Read Jeremiah 45:5 and Matthew 23:12. Am I concerned that I have not done enough for the “legacy” of my departed child because my service is not as visible as others’? What does God speak to me about seeking great things, and then, what does He speak to me about the high value He places instead upon humble service—for the audience of One?

PRAYER AND PRAISE:

Lord, I confess that You alone are great. I want to see You as You are, and bless Your infinitely great name in true humility. I know that lowliness means dependency upon You and Your Word. I love to remember my baby who I have the great hope is now with you, and I praise You for how I have seen goodness and purpose come alongside my loss. Most of all, I thank You that through humility, You can derive meaningful service that points to You alone. You are very great and worthy—fulfilling purposes for this world that I cannot fathom. I am highly privileged to participate with Your plans in any way You desire. Bless Your great and awesome Name—You are exalted infinitely above any other.

QUOTE FROM SOURCES CONSULTED²:

God’s wisdom and knowledge cannot be comprehended, and His decisions cannot be tracked as footprints in the sand. God has consulted no one and no one has advised Him. But because God knows all things He controls and guides all events for His glory and for our good (cf. Ps. 104:24; Prov. 3:19). (Paul P. Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology)

¹https://themelios.thegospelcoalition.org/article/seekest-thou-great-things-for-thyself

²Sources consulted for this series: D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, God the Father, God the Son; Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology; Paul Enns, Moody Handbook of Theology; John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion; J. I. Packer, Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs

Lianna (@liannadavis) is wed to Tyler and mom of two dear daughters. She is author of Made for a Different Land: Eternal Hope for Baby Loss (Hope Mommies, 2019). More of her writing can be found at her website.

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