Job 36:5 “God is mighty, but does not despise men;
he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.

This is a very interesting verse in Japanese, that experience has taught me is probably much closer to the original than the NIV is. The first half of the verse is interesting because it contradicts what many people, and even many religions, think. Their concept of God is that He looks down on people, barely tolerating them. In contrast, Elihu affirms that God is God, in all power and majesty, but says that He does not look down on people. This actually paves the way for John 3:16, because God would certainly not send His Son to die for those He looked down on. The second half of the verse is where the wording of the Japanese gets very interesting. It says, “The power of His understanding is strong.” I don’t know how firm a grasp of God’s omniscience Elihu had, but in a sense this fits the modern proverb, “Knowledge is power.” The fact that God indeed knows everything, down to the number of hairs on our heads, (Matthew 10:30) makes a big difference. No one can sneak anything by Him! He not only knows physical details, He knows our hearts and motives. (Mark 2:8) The amazing thing is that knowing our hearts and motives, He still doesn’t look down on us! His love and grace are indeed amazing.

I have been aware of God’s omniscience ever since childhood, but that hasn’t kept me from sinning as it should have. Perhaps I focused too much on the knowledge of His love! However, that is making light of His grace, which certainly doesn’t honor and glorify Him. As a pastor, I need to communicate the whole package, helping people understand God’s power and love, His holiness and His grace. I can do that only with the help of the Holy Spirit, and only if I am walking in that awareness myself. It is possible to teach by bad example, so people will avoid imitation, but I certainly don’t want to do that! My life needs to be a demonstration of God’s gracious power. By very definition I can’t accomplish that on my own, because it’s God’s power, not mine. I need to seek and be submitted to Him at all times, so that His Spirit may flow through me to accomplish His will for His glory.

Father, thank You for the depth and breadth and height of Your love for me. I continue to learn more of that every day! Help me communicate to others that You love them just as much, so that they too will turn to You to receive that love with gratefulness and joy. Thank You for the experience of loving my grandsons despite all their imperfections and messes. It’s a very good illustration of Your love for us all. Help me express Your love to them, and help them to understand that love so that they may grow to let that love flow through them fully, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!