infinite

We often forget our humanness. When we accept that we are limited and finite, God’s infinite power can work. It’s through Him we can do anything at all!

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Ephesians 3:16, NLT

Confronted… face to face with my own limits.

After months of adding more, and more, and more to my plate, I finally hit the proverbial wall. Scrambling to evaluate what was important, pieces began to fall off with or without my permission… “But God! You brought me here. All of these things, You need ME to do.”

Confronted… face to face with my infinite Savior.

Finite

I am human which means I am finite. I am bound by limits, but often forget this truth until I’m facing the insurmountable. Until I’m facing circumstances and other humans out of my control.

I’ve overbooked my schedule – I cannot be in two places at once.

Here, put this hat on, this hat, and this hat – I cannot be all things to all people.

But you said you could last week – I cannot peer into the future ahead.

As I started coming to terms with my limited nature, I heard the Holy Spirit speak:

Let God be God. In His infinite power and mystery, let God work and move. Stop getting in the way. Stop trying to measure Him, put boundaries around Him. Nothing concocted by human minds or built by human hands can contain His sovereignty. Trust in His strength, His love, His forgiveness.

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
Ephesians 3:17-18, NLT

Limited Humans

In order to completely accept my finite nature, I must also recognize the limited nature of my fellow humans. I cannot hold others to God-like infinitude but must remember the grace and love of the One.

Because we are relational creatures, we focus on what other humans can supply… we rely on others to fill our gaps; forgetting it’s only through His power and glory that any other human can provide anything for anyone. Only HE can supply all we need and lack.

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
Romans 11:36, NLT

Intricate

We are so intricately woven together as His beloved children. He created every working and operating part in our bodies, but left one major component that ONLY He can touch… our souls.

How often have I tried to fill the void in my own soul? How often have I tried to be the savior of another’s? ONLY God’s infinite and immeasurable love can cover the multitude of darkness in our human hearts and souls.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Ephesians 3:19, NLT

Praise God! He is infinite… He is never-ending, never-changing, constant and stable.

‘I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,’ says the Lord God. ‘I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.’
Revelation 1:8, NLT

Who can figure out our Mighty God?? Our finite minds cannot fathom. Our will is minuscule… we cannot move the oceans or bend the wind. We cannot command the skies or the mountains to rise.

Take a long, hard look. See how great he is—infinite, greater than anything you could ever imagine or figure out!
Job 36:26, MSG

We may appoint man to rule, but only One is appointed to take on the limitless depths of sin. ONLY ONE is crowned the limitless Savior of the world and beyond.

Praise God! He is infinite… He is never-ending, never-changing, constant and stable. Only He has overcome the limitless depths of sin and been crowned the limitless Savior of the world. Click To Tweet

Surrender

My Savior blankets me in the grace that only He can give. Over and over He pours out tenderness to my depleted nature. When I strive to be all, see all, know all, do it all in my strength He’s waiting. Waiting for His Beloved to finally surrender. Surrender to His unlimited nature beyond fathom…

God fills and sustains. He inflates our lungs to speak Truth. He ignites our hearts and sets fire to OUR plans. His Spirit dances inside us as we lose ourselves to God’s overwhelmingly infinite love.

Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.
Ephesians 3:20, TLB

Have you come to terms with your own limits? Have you surrendered to God and His infinitude?

Free Nature Stock

When the God we serve is a small, human-sized god, it isn’t difficult to focus on our problems or on other people, but when He is big and mighty He is a fire in our bones.

I hadn’t planned on this being my next post; I’ve been studying another idea for a few weeks. But, we all know and history reveals that God is notorious for changing our well thought-out plans.

For decades I have been teaching, writing and preaching to others about the greatness of our God. In small group studies, in hospital rooms, in a cancer treatment center, in hospital chapels, in a master’s program of wanna-be theologians from different denominations, in counseling rooms where faith was small, in support groups, I have hailed the mighty, powerful nature of our gracious, forgiving Father.

At times, I have felt like a travel agent speaking of places I have never been.

Enormous

Not that I haven’t believed in the omnipotent, infinite God of creation – I did with all my heart…for them. The picture I held of God for the world was huge:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16, NKJV

That’s enormous, right? I believed. I believed throughout Kay Arthur studies and learning through Beth Moore studies; I even taught some of those Bible studies. I believed while listening to countless exegetical and topical sermons. I believed while singing on several praise teams and in worship services with hands raised in praise to a glorious Savior. Girlfriend, I did it all!

Not Just for the Big Stuff

But for me? Well, my God was only BIG for the big stuff, like the salvation of my children, the cancer of family members, the heartfelt prayer requests of friends, etc. It isn’t that I didn’t pray; it’s that I didn’t think He wanted to be bothered with the small things of my life…and SURELY not my chronic failures like depression and anger…and suicidal thoughts.

You see, growing up in a home where addiction was lord, I learned at a young age that hopes and dreams were squashed. They weren’t to be trusted because disappointment was sure to follow. Better not to hope or dream…Lo and behold, in my first leg of graduate school for a counseling degree, I learned that this behavior/belief is normal for adult children of addiction. Who knew?

However, somehow it carried over to my picture of God, the Father Who has set me free from so much bondage to falsehoods. Even now, after much healing, my ‘small God’ mentality seeps back in when I am not on my guard against the enemy. Sometimes, when I feel alone or the battle is raging around me, I want to cry out with Jeremiah, “Enough already!”

‘Leave me alone in my melancholy.’ The Shepherd replies, ‘I will not leave you alone. You are mine. I know each of my sheep by name. You belong to me. If you think I am finished with you, if you think I am a small god that you can keep at a safe distance, I will pounce on you like a roaring lion…then I will mend you, cradle you in my arms, and kiss you tenderly…’

Brennan Manning, Reflections for Ragamuffins

Fire in Our Bones

In the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, there are definitely seasons where it appears he has a tug of war with the Lord. In chapter 20, Jeremiah tells God that he is weary of the constant derision he receives daily, (Jer. 20:8). He actually accuses the righteous Lord of deceiving him in verse 7! Therefore, the silly, little prophet – like us, thought he could decide not to talk about the Lord anymore, just close his mouth due to derision and persecution. He believed he had a level of control on this ‘small god’ whom he served.

But if I say, “I will not mention His name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”

Jeremiah 20:9, NIV (emphasis added)

The NKJV puts it this way:

But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not. (emphasis added)

I know it isn’t much different, but I love the word picture Jeremiah gives us of a burning fire in his bones! He desperately attempted to hold back, to stop speaking the prophecies which God had given him to speak, but the power of God so overwhelmed him that he experienced physical symptoms of fire in his bones and weariness in his body.

Change of Heart

Look what Jeremiah once again comes to realize by verses 11-12:

But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten.

Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have committed my cause.

Jeremiah 20:11-12, NIV

Our Mighty God

Oh, dear sister! Why does our God seem small, even impotent sometimes? Isn’t it because our ears are open to our enemies’ derision and lies rather than our Father’s words of truth and encouragement? Could it be because our eyes rest upon our failures, present circumstances, or the lives of others instead of our righteous, mighty Warrior who longs to deliver us?

I know that is true of me. Too often I bring the Awesome God of creation down to a human level and expect puny human things from Him when He is offering me the power and might of a resurrected life. God, forgive me.

May we be as Jeremiah was and be unable to keep the prompting of our Lord within us. May we answer His call and see His mighty works, whatever they may be for each of us.

Call to me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

Jeremiah 33:3, NKJV

Too often I bring the Awesome God of creation down to a human level and expect puny human things from Him when He is offering me the power and might of a resurrected life. Click To Tweet

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