What god is Great Like God?
Daily Old Testament Reading: Psalm 77-78, 81; 1 Chronicles 6
Daily Focus Passage: Psalm 77
Life is a constant journey of highs and lows. We find ourselves in good and bad seasons throughout life. These varying moments serve as opportunities to demonstrate our faith and trust in the Lord. We follow, obey, and worship out of goodness in the good seasons. We seek, plead, and cry out to God to work in the stormy seasons. The Psalmist in Psalm 77 provides a moment of crying out to the Lord. He cries for the Lord to meet him in the middle of his pain and provide relief. The Psalmist asked a question that reveals the greatness of God and reminds us of our hope that comes from the Lord alone. The Psalmist asked, “What god is great like God?”
GOD IS SOVEREIGN
The sovereignty of God exists as a foundational theological truth about the Lord. The concept of sovereignty means that the Lord reigns over all creation and the universe. The Lord can rule and reign as he chooses because of his omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. The Lord rules as the one true God who created all things, sustains all things, cares for all things, and provides for all things. Therefore, God alone is sovereign and has the right and ability to rule. Yet, we must understand that the Lord rules and reigns while allowing free will and the results of that free will within humanity. No other god is sovereign.
GOD IS OMNIPOTENT
God is omnipotent. Omnipotent derives from the words “omni” (all) and “potent” (power). Thus, the words reveal that God alone is all-powerful. The omnipotent nature of the Lord demonstrates the ability of the Lord to act and perform whatever he desires as long as the action remains within the holy character of the Lord. The omnipotence of God means that nothing is too large for the Lord to conquer. The omnipotent nature of God reminds us that what is impossible with man is possible with God. No other god is omnipotent, only the Lord God Almighty.
GOD IS OMNISCIENT
God is omniscient. The description of omniscience means that the Lord knows all things. This knowledge is not based on experience but is the state of having all knowledge because the Lord is the creator and sustainer of all things. The Bible teaches us that the Lord knows when a sparrow falls to the ground and even knows the hairs on one’s head. God knows the heart of each individual and the desires within one’s heart. Unlike other gods, the one true God knows all. His omniscient nature provides a necessary characteristic of his sovereignty.
GOD IS FORGIVING
The Psalmist recognizes that God alone holds the ability to forgive and redeem. The ability to forgive signals the Lord’s capability of wiping the slate of sin clean. It means that the Lord alone can overcome the stain of sin in one’s life. The forgiving nature of the Lord extends from the steadfast love of the Lord. The forgiving nature of God comes from the Lord’s work of redemption and offers a way to become reconciled to God. Therefore, God alone can forgive, and no other god has the ability, authority, or power to forgive.
The Psalmist cries out to the Lord because he trusts the Lord completely. The Psalmist recognizes no other god exists and no other god is the Lord. The Lord alone holds all sovereignty and works in all things. The Lord alone can forgive the gravest of sinners and redeem the lost. We must recognize and remember that no god is like the Lord God Almighty.
