The Greatness Of Our God

Watching the Browns’ exhibition game last week, I was very critical of the announcer’s overuse, even misuse of the adjective ‘great’. Ask Cathy. Their effusive descriptions focused on one rookie, who wasn’t even chosen until late in the draft because of concerns about his ability to play professional football, but the media has elevated him to superstar status. Despite limited experience in training camp, he was named starting quarterback to see how he’d perform under game conditions. He played surprisingly well with some mistakes, and made some effective plays from a much simplified game plan against many of the other team’s rookies. The veteran players from both teams weren’t even playing to allow unproven players to compete for roster spots, and yet I lost count of the times the word great was used to describe his performance.

To be used and understood effectively, the word ‘great’ should be limited to describe someone deserving of high praise. There are many who have are recognized for exceptional achievements, using their talents and opportunities God has given them. But, true greatness is not just about a person’s particular achievements, or their particular talents, but about who they are, their character, the application of their abilities to benefit others, not just themselves. We may put medals on our heroes, calling them great, but true greatness may not even be recognized by tangible awards.

Knowing we’re all sinners, there is only One truly deserving to be described as Great. So great, that the word Awesome may even be a better description of our God. The God deserving of our deepest reverence from our complete awe because of His greatness by who He is, what He has done, and what we can expect in our future.

So awesome that even using His name wrongly, in vain as stated in the Third Commandment, is forbidden, and violators will be held accountable. So holy, to be held in awe, that Israelites were forbidden to even write God’s Name. It’s no wonder the Lord’s name is so abused because our standards for awesomeness and greatness have diminished so much, allowing unworthy recognition. Even the word holy has been cheapened in our coupling it with t common, unholy, even vulgar objects.

Statues of Jesus with outstretched, inviting arms tower impressively over particular cities, attempting to capture the greatness of Jesus. The world’s tallest statue of Jesus is the "Christ the King of the Universe" statue in Sieboldin, Poland, measuring 172 ft tall including its mound stand and the Crown. But this statue is totally inadequate to capture His true greatness. It would be like a grain of sand on the world’s largest beach by comparison, if there could even be such a comparison.

Indeed, His greatness is incomprehensible by our finite minds. Even when we think we've scientifically begun to unlock the mysteries of God, we only continue to see the infinite greatness of God. For example, in 2004, scientists pointed the Hubble telescope at a blank-looking patch of sky near the Orion Constellation. The Hubble focused on that spot for 400 orbits over 11 days. The patch of sky they were studying was no bigger than a grain of sand held out at arm’s length. But, in that tiny patch of sky, they discovered over 10,000 galaxies! Not too long ago, astronomers thought that there were 100 billion galaxies in the universe. Today scientists think that our universe may have as many as 500 billion galaxies. And each of those galaxies has hundreds of millions of stars. And our great God created them all.

Our OT lesson from Isaiah 40 gives us ways to compare the greatness of God. In context, it was God’s message of comfort and hope to the exiled Israelites, assuring them of His imminent intervention to return them home. The imagery of God coming with power reflects His ability to deliver and restore His people, ruling with a mighty arm, yet He is tender, caring for His flock like a loving shepherd, gathering His lambs close to his heart. Who can even measure the waters of earth He holds in the hollow of His hand, or with the width of His hand that marked off the heavens. Isaiah ends this passage almost as a criticism for not understanding the greatness of God, asking the rhetorical questions: “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.“ This imagery of God enthroned suggests His supreme authority and governance over creation. The "circle of the earth" can be understood as a reference to the earth's horizon or the dome of the sky, indicating God's complete presence.