How Big Is Your God?

When I was a kid I used to love Professional Wrestling. From the moment my Uncle Nelson bought me my first Wrestler magazine, and I attended my first live event at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, I was hooked. When we moved to Fort Pierce, Florida in 1979, I began attending Wrestling events at the St. Lucie County Civic Center with my dad and friends. Me and my cousin Aaron always tried to meet the wrestlers and get their autographs, or at least a handshake. I’ll never forget the first time I saw Andre the Giant in person; what an enormous man! I think that I might have thought at the time that Andre the Giant was a god.

Today I believe that although Andre the Giant was certainly a big person, he was no god. In fact, the God that I serve is far bigger than any person, or any thing that we can imagine.

I am afraid that we mere mortals fall into the trap of reducing God to something manageable. Singer Ayiesha Woods sings,

“I don’t wanna box you in,
You’ve been doing big things since the world began.
Sometimes I just don’t understand
That You’re big enough, that You’re big enough.”

God becomes too small and our problems, our struggles, our failures, our mistakes, our dysfunctions, and our habits become too big.

This has been a problem throughout the history of God’s people, so don’t feel too bad.

In Numbers 13 and 14 we read the story of the twelve spies. The Hebrew children are wandering in the desert after being miraculously released from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. They are preparing to enter into The Promised Land, and God tells Moses to send in 12 spies on a reconnaissance mission. When they return, 10 of them are terrified and bring a report of giants in the land. Caleb and Joshua are the only ones who see past the problems and focus on the solution. God has promised to lead His people into this land. And yet, this promise is forgotten in the face of “giant” roadblocks.

Are there some roadblocks in your life that seem overwhelming right now? Are there some giants that you can’t seem to get past? Listen to these words from the 91st Psalm:

You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow,
Say this: "God, you're my refuge.
I trust in you and I'm safe!"
That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps,
shields you from deadly hazards.
His huge outstretched arms protect you—
under them you're perfectly safe;
his arms fend off all harm. (The Message)

God is very, very, very big!

When my kids were little we used to watch Veggie Tales a lot. There is some good stuff in Veggie Tales!

I remember one episode when Jr. Asparagus was scared and he sang these deeply theological words:

“God is bigger than the boogieman,
He’s bigger than Godzilla or the monsters on TV.
Oh, God is bigger than the boogieman,
And He’s watching out for you and me.”

I am praying for a Caleb spirit to be poured out on this generation; a spirit that empowers us not to see the problems, but to see the solutions. God has promised us safe passage into our personal “promised land.”

Will you go boldly forth to claim what is yours? Or will you allow the giants to stop you?

The words of one of my favorite new worship songs sums up what I am trying to say her:

Water You turned into wine
Open the eyes of the blind
There’s no one like You
None like You
Into the darkness You shine
Out of the ashes we rise
There’s no one like You
None like You

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God, Our God…

And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
What can stand against?
(Our God, Chris Tomlin)

Be blessed