Tag: exodus 15

Woman standing in a colorful wildflower meadow at sunset with dramatic clouds in the sky
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Who Is Like You, O Lord?

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“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” – Numbers 23:19

“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; “ — Acts 17:24

I recently heard Pastor Alistair Begg relate a conversation he had with a fellow pastor at a church conference.  As they walked toward their meeting room, the fellow pastor said, “Let’s head to the sanctuary.”  Pastor Begg replied, “There is no sanctuary.”  It left his friend confused because clearly there was a sanctuary – one like all churches have where we meet and worship God.

He went on to say that when the temple curtain was torn at Jesus’ crucifixion, God no longer dwelt there. Instead, He is found everywhere. He is no longer encountered only in one earthly place, closed off to all but a select few.

A Boxed God

Yet we humans love our little boxes and borders.  Church is where we “do God.”  Work is where we “make money.”  We love to define God in our human terms, making Him more like us.  Frequently untrustworthy, unloving or unforgiving.  We box Him up and retrieve Him only when needed.

But friends, God is so much bigger than our little boxes.  He is far grander than us humans.  He is transcendent.

“But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him?” — 2 Chronicles 2:6

We’ve spent many weeks looking at the character of God—all the reasons He should be revered and worshipped. He is merciful, patient, loving, forgiving, infinite, omnipotent, and so much more. Yet He longs to grow us into people who are more like Him. That’s a bit mind-blowing!

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts”. – Isaiah 55:9

Even among my Christ-loving friends, I hear echoes of a god who “can’t.”  We forget to pray because we think we know best, or because we assume God couldn’t possibly understand our problem.  We place Him in our little box and open it only when absolutely necessary.

My dad, even as an 86-year-old man, lived with the “terrible twos” mindset: “I can do it myself!” It was one of the main reasons he remained so resistant to giving his life to Christ.  If my dad couldn’t do it or think of a solution then no one else could.  No doctor, no counselor, no mechanic, no one.  Least of all the human-like God he imagined.

A Higher God

“In practice men do not by any means always “love the highest when they see it,” and truth is not always a welcome visitor.” J.B. Phillips, Your God Is Too Small

We say we believe in the infinite and almighty God, yet when faced with a problem, we first tinker away at it ourselves.  And maybe after failing a time or two we begrudgingly turn to God.  And even then we come to Him with our list of suggestions!

I count myself among those who think too small of God at times.  I imagine Him more like a fallible human at times rather than the prefect, transcedent God that He is.

I’ve heard many a Christian woman comment that they struggle with the idea of God the Father because of their own imperfect human fathers.  They won’t cry “Abba” because they don’t trust Him and can’t understand His perfect love for them.  We make God more human instead of asking Him to make us more like Christ.

‘Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, awesome in praises, doing wonders?” – Exodus 15:11

Friends, there is no one like our God — no one.  And we can know Him only as much as He chooses to reveal Himself to us.  We glean from His Word and through His creation the pearls He has laid out for us. 

I have found that unbelievers who seem to hate God have dragged Him down to their own level of humanness.  They have stripped Him of His glory and holiness in order to sustain their own false ideas.

But when we see the God of the Bible—and I mean really see and study Him—we encounter an otherworldly, awe-inspiring God who entered our time to accomplish a great rescue of love.  So let us stop shrinking God down to our size. Let us meet Him as He truly is—holy, infinite, glorious, and far beyond all we can contain. And let that vision of Him lead us not to fear, but to worship.

 Our God by Chris Tomlin

Water You turned into wine
Opened 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




Did you miss a blog post in the 30 Days of Reverence series? Check out the series page by clicking here!

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In Excelsis Deo

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“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14

Last night I heard the angels sing. Well, not real angels — just people that sounded as I would imagine them singing. After a long weekend of Christmas concerts, the more than 150 choir members and musicians that perform at my church in Escondido, California put on their last of 5 performances. They must have been looking forward to that last note with tired legs and feet, sore lips and throats. But you couldn’t tell. They lifted their voices with such glorious vigor and ease. The musicians fingers danced lightly and beautifully over keys and piston valves and strings.

I listened with awe to people with a gift I only dream about or attempt to utilize while alone in my car. And I also thought, what a glorious God to have created such sounds. Music is considered one of those few “cultural universals.” Something in which every culture across the world participates. Bone flutes have been dated to 40,000 BC. Biologists suggest that music developed alongside language development. Almost as though the two were uniquely connected. Clearly a gift given by God since the creation of man.

Religions are credited with being the biggest purveyor of music and musical styles. Hurrian songs are a collection of music excavated from an ancient Canaanite city which date to approximately 1400 BC. One of these is nearly complete and contains the “Hymn to Nikkal”(also known as the Hurrian cult hymn or “a zaluzi to the gods,”), making it the oldest surviving complete work of notated music in the world. 

We’ve been singing outward and upward for quite a long time it seems! It’s no wonder that music touches our hearts so deeply. It speaks to love lost and love found. To growing up and growing old. It tells stories of friendships and discontentment. And, of course, it speaks to God — asking for Him to come into our lives, thanking Him for our blessings, and giving all Glory to Him.

The first song recorded in the Bible is a victory song. Written by Moses and recorded in Exodus 15, it was composed after Israel’s faith was tested in the parting of the Red Sea. It’s as though God gave us this gift to express in new ways our yearning for a life that only He can truly give.

“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:2

The hymn last night which pulled my heart toward God was, “Gloria In Excelsis Deo” based on what the angels sang at Jesus’ birth in Luke 2:14. Such a beautiful patronage to varied, talented voices and musicians! It also enjoys a long and rich history. Its composition reflects the tradition of “private psalms” which became popular in the 2nd century. Later versions saw additional verses added as it became part of doxologies. Modern scholars have documented over 200 musical medieval versions of this song as it spread across every Christian religious culture and denomination. 

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.  (Christmas Carol version, also known as Angels We Have Heard on High)

I imagine this gift of music must surely reflect what goes on in the heavens. A heavenly Spotify playlist featuring the most beautiful voices ever heard. So perfectly tuned and glorious that hearts burst with love and devotion to the One True God.

Today, listen for the first songs of God — a tune from a bird, the rustling of leaves, the croaking of a frog. Then lift your voice or whistle or hum to Him who gave us this gift. A gift which helps us express our deepest emotions in ways which just words alone can never accomplish.

Soli Deo Gloria. Amen

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Wow, Just Wow…

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"Who among the gods is like you, Lord?  Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?" Exodus 15:11

“Wow, God, just wow. Amen”

A few weeks ago, I was travelling across country by plane.  My headphones were plugged in, my video played loud enough so I wouldn’t hear anyone around me.  My snacks were laid out and my drink delivered.  I was set up in my little bubble.   We were heading west, chasing the falling sun.  

About halfway on my journey my eyes took a break from my Ipad screen to look out the window.  I expected to see a muted landscape below flying by without much interest.  Instead, I was treated to the glory of God.  We found ourselves skimming the tops of a blanket of cotton.  Fluffy white clouds just below our plane for as far as your eyes could see.  Because we were so close it made our airspeed more obvious.  As my eyes adjusted to this phenomenon, I could almost feel the weight press me back into my seat like on a roller coaster.  And we floated.  Yes, that’s what it felt like.  Floating through the heavens. Some unseen force was blowing us across the sky skimming the cotton fields.  And the majesty of God was present in all His glory!

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

As I sat there watching the clouds fly beneath us, I couldn’t help but smile and thank God for such beauty.  It felt as though if I could just reach through the window I would touch the Father.  I can’t explain why exactly it felt different than other times I’ve seen clouds from a plane.  But it seemed as though God were putting on a show for us.  There was no beautiful sunset.  No purple and rose sky.  Just white clouds slightly below and blue sky above.  And all I could say to God was, “wow….”

At that moment I realized the huge difference between believers and those who refuse to acknowledge that everything in our lives has been created.  They could look out the window and think, “hey that’s really pretty.” But I looked out the window and said, “wow, what a cool thing You have done!”  

I mean imagine walking up to the painting masterpiece by Piero della Francesca, “The Resurrection,” called the most beautiful painting in the world by famed author Aldous Huxley, and saying, “Hey that’s kinda pretty.  It must’ve happened by accident.  Some cosmic dust or something.  Like maybe there was a canvas and some paint fell from a window and people accidentally stepped on it and ‘voila’ a painting is made.”  There’d be no credit to the master painter.  No recognition of his ability or desire to create something beautiful for the world to see.

But there is always a creator.  And God is the ultimate Creator.  Our recognition of that fact brings an awe inspiring sunset into clearer view.  It allows us to see the Grand Canyon from a new perspective.  That brief encounter I had on the plane that late afternoon with God’s glory and creation almost brought me to tears.  Of joy.  Knowing He loves making beautiful things whether we are present to see them or not.