Isaiah 51:2 Look to Abraham, your father,
    and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
When I called him he was only one man,
    and I blessed him and made him many.

Verse 11 of this chapter has been joyfully set to music, and it is echoing in my mind even as I write. However, this verse jumped out at me just now. We are very familiar with the story of Abraham, but we often overlook one of the most salient points of the story: he was just one person, and the Lord multiplied him marvelously. We get all caught up in numbers, when they are never an issue for God. Those numbers can apply to attendance, or they can apply to bank balance, or to anything else. After all, God spoke the universe into existence, and the number of galaxies, let alone stars or even planets, is essentially beyond human comprehension. As God said to Zechariah, we are not to despise things because they are small. (Zechariah 4:10) In the case of Abraham, God started with one man who would listen to Him, and through that one man worked salvation for all mankind. We can’t grasp the scale of God’s plans because we don’t have His perspective, but it’s safe to say that our conception of what He is going to do is always too small. We’ve just passed the 80^th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bombs in WWII. Atoms are tiny beyond our comprehension, yet splitting them releases incredible energy. Number and size are never an issue for God! A considerable percentage of our problems are because we see God as too small. Sometimes atheists accuse Christians of creating God in our own image. There is actually a kernel of truth in that. The gods of the Greek and Roman pantheons were certainly that way, but even Christians have trouble envisioning God as being so much bigger, stronger, and more perfect in every way than we are. Where faith really comes in is in believing that such an incredible Creator would love and care about such insignificant beings as we are. The better we grasp that, with even a rudimentary grasp of how great God is, the more we realize that indeed, “Nothing is impossible with God,” (Luke 1:37)

This is something I’m continuing to grow into. I’ve had an intellectual grasp of the omnipotence of God since I was quite young, but I still have plenty of room to grow in practical terms. It was over 30 years ago that I was praying and worshiping with a believer in this church, just the two of us, and the Lord said through one of us, “Don’t be surprised at what surprises others. Expect me to act in ways beyond your imagination.” I honestly don’t remember which of us spoke that out, but it was clearly a Word from the Lord. God has already acted in some pretty remarkable ways in our ministry over the past 40+ years, but He’s not through yet! We can’t dictate to Him how He is to act, nor should we try, but we should have complete assurance that He will act, and it will be glorious.

Father, thank You for this encouraging Word. Thank You indeed for all You are doing, in and around us. Thank You for even working through us, sometimes! I do thank You for what You are doing in the gallery show. You have given me an opportunity each day so far to speak Your Gospel clearly and firmly to two different men, and I ask for more such opportunities. I pray that You would take what You speak through me and work in people’s hearts to bring them to repentance and faith. That is the greatest miracle! You know whom I most want to come to the show, whom I most want to open their heart to You, and You also know who is most ready to receive Your message. May I rest, relax, and rejoice in You, allowing You to work on Your schedule and participating with joy, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!