Measure Up!

How Big is our God?

On our last little getaway, Steven and I found ourselves deep in conversation about the ocean, its endless stretch and calming effects and how downright terrifying it can be when stirred up! This is how I see a holy, reverential fear of our God. He is all encompassing and steadies me. He is peace and His heart is for me! Yet, I tremble in His presence. My ears perked up and my spirit leapt within me when Steven whispered, “We are just a speck.” Just how BIG will we allow our great God be to us?

When we look at nature, we see the almighty God. Romans 1:20 ESV states:

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." 

The Blue Whale

The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth, reaching lengths over one hundred feet and weighing up to two hundred tons—about as much as 20–30 elephants or 2,500 people. Its heart weighs roughly four hundred pounds, large enough for a person to swim or crawl inside its veins, and its heartbeat can be heard two miles away. Now that’s a BIG whale!

The Ocean

The blue whale population was once estimated at approximately 275,000. Covering about 71% of Earth's surface, the global ocean (or the five major ones) has the capacity to support more than 200,000 blue whales along with various other marine life in different shapes and sizes. Now that’s a BIG ocean!

The Earth

Our magnificent planet Earth is large enough to contain this massive ocean with its gigantic whales as well as its nations amassed with a human population of about eight billion people. Now that’s a BIG planet!

The Universe

The universe is large enough to encompass all things—the sun, moon, stars, galaxies, and all the planets. Yes, even Earth with its people, oceans, and whales. Now that’s a BIG universe!

Perspective

Isaiah 40:12-15 describes the immense power and vastness of our God, stating that He has measured the waters of the sea in the hollow of His hand and gauged the heavens with the breadth of His hand. The passage further describes earth as being held as effortlessly by Him as a small object in a container. Verse 15 declares that "the nations are like a drop from a bucket" and that our Creator “takes up the isles or coastlands like a very little thing.”

David so eloquently wrote in Psalm 8:3-4 NIV:

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”

In Psalm 33:6 NIV, he writes:

“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth.”

Now that is a VERY BIG God!

Reflections

So, when life feels overwhelming, recall this imagery. Our God holds in His hands the colossal universe, which contains Earth, which contains an ocean, which contains the massive blue whale. You may feel that your problem is bigger than you are, but it is not bigger than your God! Let Him be a VERY BIG God to you!

Dive a Little Deeper

In researching this blog, I came across Habakkuk 3:4 AMP, and it came ALIVE in me! The prophet wrote, “He stood and measured the earth…” The compelling imagery of our Creator standing up and measuring Earth is awe-inspiring in and of itself, the enormousness of the Father. Immediately, the Lord turned the focus from planet Earth to me. Isaiah 40:12 ESV says, “He enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure.” In scripture, the earth often represents humanity. I imagined my Creator measuring me, much like parents mark a wall to track their children's growth over time.

Oh Father! It is my desire that You find continuous and significant growth in me. I long to embody Your presence so fully that it is evident in me and that I grow in maturity to the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and the completeness found in Him!” (Ephesians 4:13 AMP) Lord, fill me to overflowing!

I want to walk on the water.