GREAT AND MARVELOUS

Revelation 15:3 “Great and marvelous are your actions…just and true are your ways”

It’s Christmas Day. It would seem more logical, perhaps, to discuss a story from Luke chapter 2. But as I sat and watched my three kids, full of nearly uncontrollable excitement and smiling from ear to ear, play with all their new toys I am truly thinking of how great God is. I want to celebrate his goodness. I want to genuinely live in the realization of just how much he loves us. Things that, maybe, I take for granted so often mean so much more to me as I consider them in light of God’s blessings in my life.

The passage is a song, once sung by Moses as the Israelites celebrated their deliverance from Egypt. The redeemed are gathered after gaining victory over the forces of evil. The Lord had revealed his marvelous deeds and is about to execute the glorious climax to his purposes on earth. True worship begins to pour out for the King of the Nations. “Great and marvelous are your actions, Lord God Almighty!” As I close my eyes, I imagine being a part of that celebration. Suddenly “things” don’t mean as much. I can imagine being so caught up in the glory and majesty of God that everything else fades in importance.

I can’t imagine feeling, thinking, or saying, “Wait, this is taking too long. I’ve got people coming over for Christmas dinner and I need to prepare.” Why? Because the comprehension of God’s glory overwhelms all else. During this season, we all have had so much to do. Family comes in from out of town, maybe we were still shopping at 11:30PM on Christmas Eve. Wrapping presents in the early hours of the morning. Long to-do lists still left unfinished. Then distraction sets in. I have found myself worrying so much about pleasing everyone. Making sure the kids got everything on their list. Contacting every close friend and family member that I wouldn’t see. Being available to my wife as she was away from her family on Christmas. Then, this morning came. I looked at my beautiful family, sitting in my beautiful home, enjoying a tremendous breakfast, and it hit me. All because of Him. His actions are great. They are marvelous. He doesn’t have to do any of it. Still, he does. Because just and true are his ways. It can’t be about the things that bring me comfort and fun. It must be about the one who brings it all to pass.

Christmas is a great time to reset our thinking. To remember that God is just as worthy of glory and honor today (and every other day of the year) as he will be on that great day depicted in Revelation. Let today; be full of fun, warm feelings of love and joy between you and the ones you love. But also let today be about the greatness of God. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess the majesty of God. But today let us choose, from our own heart, to bring glory to Him.