How Big is Your God?

“The battle is the Lord’s…he will give you into our hands.” 1Sa 17:47

How you handle life depends on how big you believe God is. If He’s too small: (1) You’ll live in constant anxiety thinking everything depends on you. (2) Your outlook will be dictated by your surroundings—or worse, your critics. (3) Without the acceptance of a loving God you’ll be a slave to people’s opinions. (4) You’ll constantly crave recognition because you don’t understand that “your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Mt 6:4 NAS). Author John Ortberg says that when we make the mistake of shrinking God, we “offer prayer without faith, work without passion, service without joy, and suffering without hope—which results in fear, retreat, loss of vision, and failure to persevere.” When Goliath threatened the Israelites, “they were dismayed and greatly afraid” (1Sa 17:11 NRS). They didn’t think their God was big enough for the job. But not David! “Let no one’s heart fail…your servant will…fight…this Philistine. The Lord…who saved me from…the lion and…bear, will [save us now]” (1Sa 17:32, 37 NRS). You can face anything when you know what David knew—“the battle is the Lord’s.” And He’s never lost one yet! So you don’t have to depend on your own resources. David may have felt small, but he knew his God was big enough for the job. Do you know that? Eighteenth-century Anglican clergyman John Newton said, “If the Lord be with us we have no cause for fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer, His grace sufficient, [and] His promises unchangeable.” It all depends on how big your God is!

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