The God Who Can: Embracing Our Limitations and His Omnipotence
How great is our God? According to the scriptures, He is the greatest. But, on a personal level, do we truly grasp His greatness? Is our understanding merely theoretical, or have we experienced His power in our lives? The real test of faith lies in personal experience—just as you can’t truly know a car’s speed until you drive it, or the taste of a dish until you eat it, so too, you can’t fully comprehend God’s greatness without seeing Him at work in your life.
The Bible presents God as “Jehovah Sabaoth”—the Lord of Hosts, referenced 486 times to denote His supreme power and command. This title signifies God’s ultimate control over all, emphasising His unmatched might and authority. But what does this mean for us?
Priority
In Haggai 1:1-7, God admonishes the Israelites for prioritising their own homes over His temple. Despite their efforts, they remain unsatisfied because they neglect the Lord of Hosts. This passage serves as a reminder that God deserves to be first in our lives. In our modern context, we often prioritise material comforts and personal projects over our relationship with God. The Lord of Hosts demands and deserves our foremost attention and dedication.
Perspective
Zechariah 4:6-7 reveals God’s message to Zerubbabel, overwhelmed by the monumental task of rebuilding the temple. God reassures him that success will come not by human might or power but by His Spirit. This teaches us to rely on God’s strength rather than our own, acknowledging that we can’t, but God can.
With the right priority and perspective, we understand that:
- We see what cannot be seen: The story of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:8-20 illustrates that God’s angelic armies surround us, protecting and guiding us even when we can’t see them. God’s vision surpasses ours, reminding us to trust in His unseen power.
- We do what cannot be done: Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel 1:1-18 shows her turning to God, the Lord of Hosts, to overcome barrenness. Her faith in God’s ability to do the impossible teaches us to seek His intervention in our own impossible situations.
- We become what we cannot be: David’s victory over Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 exemplifies how reliance on God’s strength can enable us to achieve the unimaginable. David’s confidence in God’s greatness, forged through personal experience, allowed him to overcome where others could not.
Our God is the Lord of Hosts, omnipotent and omnipresent. Let’s prioritise Him, shift our perspective to rely on His power, and embrace our limitations, trusting that He can do what we cannot. Consider your ways—are you giving the Lord of Hosts the priority He deserves in your life?