Understanding how God's power as Creator shapes our view of our own power.
So far, we've considered what it means - in part - that God is the Creator.
Our Trinitarian God is united in Creation. God is the Creator of all that exists. He is Sovereign. He is the Source. God is the First Giver. And God is the Redeemer of Creation. He is making a new Creation.
As we've gone through these points, we've also considered some implications for our own lives.
Part of what it means to know God is to know ourselves.
Perhaps you feel pretty powerful. You control vast riches, employees report to you, you drive a fancy car, and you fly around the world wherever you please, whenever you want.
Or maybe you control whether someone gets their paperwork at a small office approved. Maybe you control what your family eats for dinner. The scope of our power might be different, but each of us is tempted to be a little tyrant.
I invite you to compare your power to God's power. I invite you to rank your sovereignty against God's sovereignty.
Who is the greater king? Who is the lord of Lords?
Andy Crouch has clarified for me that power is good. The question is, what do you do with your power? Part of having the right attitude towards your power is to come to terms with God's power. If you don't recognize God's power as the Creator, it will be dangerous for you to have any power at all.
When you feel in your bones the raw power of God, our Creator, I think it frees us up. We don't need, as evangelicals, to be powerful. God doesn't need a celebrity or a billionaire or a President to make things happen. He is the Creator of all things.
Yes, you have power. It is a blessing from God, your Maker. And it is a blessing to use that power in a way that is faithful to his creational intent. You can be ordinary. You can be one of the elite members of society. Give it your best. Make the most of your opportunities.
But either way, we thrive when we remember that God is the one with ultimate power.
Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God.
In what areas of your life are you most tempted to see yourself as the ultimate authority or to use your power in a self-serving way? What lies or insecurities might be fueling this posture?
How have you seen power used in beautiful, God-honoring ways? How have you seen it abused or misused?
Do you ever feel pressure (internally or externally) to be 'powerful' or influential as a Christian in order to make a difference in the world?
Identify one area where you have power or influence. How can you steward that power in a way that reflects God's character this week?
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