What Belongs to GOD?
Just what belongs to God? Well, everything actually, but I want concentrate on two things in particular found in Ps.62:11-12, "God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God. Also, to you, O Lord, belongs mercy; for You render to each one according to his work." These statements come on the heels of a Psalm that extols the virtues and blessings of waiting on the Sovereign Lord for answers while rediculing the person who is motivated by self reliance, unbelief, and aggression against others.
David uses an expression (God spoke once & I heard it twice) designed to convince the reader that God has made this claim known to others, and that David has heard this from the Lord as well as those who have testified of the Lord. In this passage, God owns two things.
First, power belongs to the Lord. Since God has all the power there is, it behooves us to get our brains around what David has said. The only power in all the universe is from God. All we have, all the angels have, all our adversaries have, all the devil has; IS DELEGATED POWER! There would be no power in anyone if the origin (God Almighty) had not initiated it. All the choices we have made have been foreseen by the Lord. This is hard for us to fathom. The human mind simply cannot come up to it. We wonder if that is true. We ask questions like, "How could God allow beings to have power when HE knew they would be evil with it?" OR "Why doesn't GOD stop the evil if HE has all power?" These and others like them reveal (among many things) our inability to fathom an all powewrful God.
What is an even greater challenge is that the all powewrful God chooses to reveal that power at times but is silent or appears inactive at other times. How many times have we wondered, "When, O Lord, will You hear and act on my prayer?" We are asked, no commanded, to believe & when we attempt to do so, we have been, at times, disappointed. That is true for everyone past 6 years of age I believe. David wondered this at times, just read thru the Psalms to see his bewilderment. Our questions not withstanding, GOD has the power & the Bible is replete with claims of that nature. Jesus absolutely knew this to be true. So did Paul, Peter, James, John, etc.
What power does God have? All the power - the power of life, the power to create, the power to recreate, the power to redeem, the power to deliver from any prison or enemy, the power to convert or change the human heart (greatest power of all I believe), the power shine in the darkness & overcome it, the power to keep secrets & reveal them, the power to judge and cast into hell, the power to defeat the devil (no contest), the power to use the likes of me, the power to use you too, the power to work everything together for good to those who love HIM and those HE has called for His purpose!
When people use their power, it isn't theirs. It is 'on loan' from God. The same is true for governments, supervisors, parents, business people, professionals, teachers, police, soldiers, etc. The truth is that if we do not turn to HIM for His grace & mercy, we will be judged by how we wielded that delegated power. Put in other words, we will be judged by what we do & say for the opportunity was given us (delegated power) to believe in HIM and spend our life glorifying God, which we were created by HIM to do!
That brings me to a verse in Jn.1:12, "But as many as received HIM, to them HE gave the right ('the power' in some translations) to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name." That's the greatest power exchange and I testify to it tonite. I, who once wandered & was imprisoned by a sin filled, selfish life was granted merciful forgiveness & given a power - a right - an ability - to become a son of God. How - by His indwelling Presence filling & changing my nature. And the life giving power process is still working. How do I know? I saw fresh sin in my life today and repented from it, desiring change & praying for the same - that's how I know! That is how you will know!
Second, not only power but mercy belongs to HIM as well. In fact, it naturally follows that since God has all the power, HE also has all the mercy. There isn't a truly merciful act anywhere that does not somehow originate in God. The whole idea of mercy & compassion is absolutely & completely tracable to God Almighty and His dealings with sinful men. Any kindness we have ever received was inspired by the Lord. Any mercy we have ever shown to anyone somehow came from the hand of God - into our hearts - to flow to another. That may even harder to fathom than the fact God has all the power. But whether we understand or not, God has all the mercy too. And that absolutely inspires me.
Why - because the Bible declares that there is no end to His mercy. We are told that the mercy of God extends to all generations. We are told that mercy triumphs over judgment. We are told that the merciful are blessed because they will obtain mercy, of which we are all in dire need. We are told that it is not to the person who wills his life aright or works to attain an acceptable place in God, but it rests on the God who shows mercy. Amazing!
What should this inspire in us? The God with all the power also has all the mercy. May I recommend in the strongest terms that you appeal to HIM for that mercy if you are in need of such right now. Perhaps you are thinking of your failures - or someone who has failed you - or feeling that you are bound to fail again if you are challenged again. Whichever the case - now is the time to apply to the all powerful God to receive His all powerful mercy. John was right when he said, "If we confess our sins, Jesus will be faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
There is no mercy for us outside of Him because HE owns all the mercy. Why would anyone want to attempt life without Jesus? It is reckless suicide! Yet, our pride is often at insane levels - isnt that right? "Humble yourselves under the mighty (all powerful) hand of God and HE will lift (all the mercy) you up." Be of good cheer tonite my friends. The all powerful God is merciful too! And His love will cast aside every fear so that one day we can with confidence (not arrogantly demanding) look into His face and expect a merciful response to our faith & plea. Listen to this verse from the hymn writer that expresses this so completely, "Fear not, I am with thee, be not dismayed. For I am thy God and I will still give thee aid. I'll strengthen thee and help thee and cause thee to stand, upheld by my gracious omnipotent hand."
Not only do power and mercy belong to the LORD, I too an His & I am thrilled that this is so. I, who am the chief of sinners received mercy, that I might be an example to all who would call on the name of the Lord. Thus Paul said of himself & so I believe of myself. Do you belong to the Lord? Can you say amen to Paul's claims of being the chief of sinners? If yes, than you too belong to the ALMIGHTY & MERCIFUL GOD!
