p. 1 | The Greatness of God

Pacific Press Publishing Company · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Aug 2, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 31.

The Greatness of God

"Great is our Lord, and of great power; His understanding is infinite."

Man speaks of the "great ones of earth," of the "great nations," and the "great earth." But before our God "the inhabitants" of the earth "are as grasshoppers," and "the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance." He measures the waters, as it were, in the "hollow of His hand," metes out heaven "with a span," weighs "the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance."

Nay, more; beyond this earth are all the rolling spheres of light. "Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these, that bringeth out their host by number; He calleth them all by name; by the greatness of His might, and for that He is strong in power, not one is lacking." He upholdeth all things "by the word of His power." "By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens." And of all we can see of their shining hosts we may say, with the Idumean patriarch, "Lo, these are parts of His ways; but how little a portion is heard of Him? but the thunder of His power who can understand?"

But God does not leave the revelation of Himself thus. He would not terrify us with His greatness. He would reveal that greatness; He would show His mighty power and marvelous works. He would declare Himself by His works to be the Omnipotent One; the One All-wise God. But His infinity of power and wisdom in maxima argues for infinity in minima. The God of the great things is the God of the small. He who guides mighty Arcturus paints the wings of the butterfly, forms the delicate petals of the lily, imprisons the sweet-voiced fragrance in the rose, the heliotrope, the violet, and clothes the peach with down, and bestows color and beauty upon leaf and flower. Yea, all of the great things are made up of the littles. The mighty rock is formed of its tiny crystals; the great restless ocean, of the individual drops, each of which is a little sea by itself, in whose "depths" oftentimes a multitude of infinitesimal creatures live and sport.

But even more than this; God is infinite in love. The great lesson He would have us learn from His wisdom and understanding is that He knows everything, and how to accomplish His own righteous will; from His mighty power, that He is able to save to the uttermost and keep unto the end all that is committed to Him; and from the minima—the little things of His creation—that God has a recognition of, a care for, the smallest of all His creatures. And love bids us believe, "He cares for us; He cares for me."

This is the lesson of the beautiful text in our illustration. It is one of the precious messages brought to this sinful, care-rent world by the love of Jesus our Lord. Two sparrows are of little worth. Their market value was then but three-fourths of a cent each. They are worth even less now in man's eyes. And yet not one of the chirping feathered morsels shall fall to the ground without your Father's notice. He supplies them with life; and when the life-cord is broken, the great heart of the Father feels the pain, and He notes the sparrow's fall; "not one of them is forgotten before God." O fearful heart, fear not; ye are of more value than many sparrows! God will not forget; has not forgotten. He can not forget; you are graven on the palms of His hands. When Christ died, the nail-marks in His feet and hands were for you. Your sins placed them there. Your direful needs are expressed there. He can not forget you. Night may seem to shut you in; God may seem to have forgotten, because you do not see and hear; but fear not, He "that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." Friends may forsake you; He is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Sickness and calamity may come upon you; Death may smite you; but He is victor over Death; and from your ashes will make you a shining immortal. "Only trust Him, just now."

"I heard the voice of Jesus say, Come unto Me and rest; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast. I came to Jesus as I was— Weary, and worn, and sad; I found in Him a resting-place, And He has made me glad."