Thursday, July 28, 2011

The God Who Raised the Dead to Life

Today on my way home from dropping my husband off at work, I was listening (as I usually do) to a local Christian radio station.  A worship song came on, and though I cannot even tell you the title of the song or the group who sings it (I must find out now because this song was simply brimming with exhortation and truth!) I can tell you one simple yet profound phrase from it that has stuck with me like a burr to my pant leg all day long today: The God Who raised the dead to life, calls you to rise. 

Selah.

Selah because selah means, "Pause, and think of that."  That's exactly what I did the moment I heard that phrase.  Why?  Was it a new truth to me?  No, it was not.  I know the God I serve.  He is great.  He is good.  He is full of love because He IS love.  He is merciful.  He is just. He is faithful . . . the list could go on and on.  But when I heard this phrase today, I nearly cried.

Do you know why I cried? Because the words struck me like an arrow to my heart. Yet it was the godly conviction that I felt, the same kind one senses when the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin in our life, or of our deep and utter need for the mercy and grace of God to fall upon us as we repent and turn to Him.  It was that sort of feeling. Followed by an immediate and overwhelming flood of gratefulness to God.

This is what I was thinking the moment that phrase hit me and am bubbling over with even now: The God Who raised the dead to life calls me to rise.  How could I ever, even for a moment, forget the boundless power of the God Who calls me to rise?  How could I allow myself to be held captive to the fear that He has rescued me from?  How could I ever doubt that my needs have been met already through Him Who knows my every need, down to the smallest and most trivial? He made the dead to live again, He made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, the leper spotless and without blemish . . . and yet, in my day-to-day, with what I see as huge, mountainous obstacles always getting between me and my dreams and my desires, I forget just how great is the God I serve.  How much power is in the name of Jesus.  How I should never put anything past Him and His wise plan for me, and the ability to see me through EVERYTHING that comes my way.  How could I ever forget, even for a moment?  He is calling me to RISE!  Rise out of these ashes with which I have let myself become besmudged; out of this sackcloth, the heavy clothes of mourning and sadness and burdens.  Rise because He is stronger and greater than ALL that I face and I must find the powerful faith in these truths that have been, are and always will be: He that is in me is greater than anything in this world!  I serve the God who made the dead to rise!  

What are you facing today that would seem smaller than the tiniest speck of sand if you were to choose to look at in the light of God's power?  What would seem so much smaller, so much easier to overcome or to get past if you were to look at in the right perspective?  The God Who raised the dead to life, calls you to rise!


Matthew 17:19-20:

 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
 20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” [21]


2 Chronicles 14:11:

11 Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. LORD, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.” 


Isaiah 54:10: 

10 Though the mountains be shaken
   and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
   nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
   says the LORD, who has compassion on you. 


John 10:28-30:


28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

5 comments:

  1. Off the top of my head, I'm not sure who sings that song. If I hear it, I'll try to remember.

    Having the faith to trust in God to get us through all the trials of our lives is something that can be difficult for many, including myself. It is especically different, I think, for many in American society (and probably many other western cultures) since we are essentially raised to take pride in doing things on our own.

    I am trying to have more faith every day. There are things that I I want to do with my life and things I think God wants me to do with my life. I currently see no way for me to be able to do these things though. This is where I must have faith that if God really wants me to do these things, then he will provide a way for me to afford it, both monetarily and with my time. I pray that God will overcome these obstacles for me, or provide a way for me to overcome the obstacles because of and through Him. God is faithful to keep his promises.

    Psalm 31:23--O love the Lord all ye his Saints: [for] the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

    We are his children if we love Him, and he promises to take care of His children, always preserving them.

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  2. We're looking for a house but it seems to be so impossible! Prices are high and our desires (desires we feel God has put in our heart) are difficult to find in Belgium...
    But we believe that God had the power to do more than we think of, to give us more than we hope for... We don't have to make Him into a small little God, because He is the God that raises the dead :)

    Thanks for reminding us of that!!

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  3. Thank you for all your kind words on my blog.
    I have not heard this song, but I want to. The more I ask God to increase my faith the more He does - and then He takes it up a notch. Oh, to trust Him more.

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  4. Beautiful post! I needed to read this this morning.

    Oh, and I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your Blogging For Books question! So to get people to rate it, I just found the web page for my review, and I linked to it so people could go directly to the page and rate it. I had to search for myself under the "search by blogger" option to find it, and then once I did that I could link to the actual review. If you find it, let me know and I'll rate your reviews too! Thanks for rating mine! :-)

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  5. @Joe: Great thoughts and good points. God is faithful and calls us to be, as well, and He does reward for faithfulness! Thanks!

    @Evelien: I am sure you will find "the" house for you. God always has the power to do beyond what we can ask or think or imagine. Check out this verse, it is one of my favorites, what promises! Ephesians 3:20: 20Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]... (AMP) Hope it encourages you today!

    @Wandering on Purpose: You are so welcome for kind words! They are good to give as well as receive! Good points. I still am looking for this song. It was guys who sang it, several voices, but of course many contemporary worship groups are composed of several guys! :)

    @Callie Nicole: Thank you very much! I need to read it again, probably every day as a reminder to myself! :) Thanks for answering the BfB question. I did as you said, so you will notice I have the option for folks to review my 3 reviews I've written for the program so far, on my latest blog post dated yesterday for "The Chocolate Diaries." I appreciate you rating my reviews!

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