The Lord Reigns!
Psalm 93, Ephesians 1:15-23[1]
I
think many of us have trouble with our image of God. It’s difficult to imagine
the creator and sustainer of the whole universe as “someone” to whom we can
actually relate. How do we even begin to wrap our heads around having a
personal relationship with the “Most High God,” the “Lord God Almighty.” At the
same time, many of us may have the opposite problem. We may be able to imagine
God as one who is as close to us as the very air we breathe, one to whom we can
bring all our joys and concerns. But in real
life, when it comes to doing something to help us out, it may be difficult for
us to believe that God is willing and able to act on our behalf.
The Bible consistently holds these two amazing
concepts of God together: God is both “high and exalted,” and God surrounds us
with constant love and care. And the loving and powerful God who both sustains
the whole universe and cares for each of us individually can and does act on
our behalf in all kinds of ways. Unfortunately, we overlook the ways in which
God acts on our behalf. We also tend to forget the ways God has worked in our
lives in the past. And so, we continue to wonder whether the God who is “Most
High” and all-powerful is truly able make a difference in “my” life.
Our Psalm for today begins by celebrating God’s reign
over all things. God reigns by the exercise of his great power, which is
evident in the fact that he “established” or created the world. From the
massive mountains standing firm and tall, to the breathtaking power of the
oceans, to the infinite beauty in the heavens, God’s power is on display for us
in creation. The Psalmist uses the awe-inspiring strength of the oceans to
illustrate the amazing power of God’s reign. As mighty as the waves of the
ocean may be, the Psalmist celebrates that God is even more powerful!
Many throughout the centuries have seen God’s power in
the created order. But when it comes to the idea that God actually uses that
power to work for good in our lives, many have found that difficult to grasp.
God’s power is at work at the level of the universe, but since the days of
space exploration, we have become much more aware of how small our place in all
things can feel. Given that feeling of “smallness,” it can be too much of a
reach for some to believe that the God who created and sustains the universe in
all its beauty and vastness actually makes a difference in our lives.
I think our lesson from St. Paul addresses that
question. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul prays that they may know the amazing
hope to which God had called them. It is a hope for new life, and for a love
that would never let them go, and for a future that might be hard for them to
imagine. But he also prays that they may know the immense power with which God
was at work in their lives. And in case they were wondering about that, Paul
gives them an image with which to grasp that power: Easter! Paul says that God
demonstrated the power with which he is at work in all of our lives in Jesus
when he raised him from the dead. For those who may have doubts about whether
God is working in their lives, all they have to do is remember that Jesus is
alive!
That’s a stunning image! The same power that God
exerted when he raised Jesus from the dead is the power with which he is at
work in our lives. In fact, St. Paul takes it a step further. In the verses
that follow our reading for today, he reminds the Ephesians that they, too were
“dead,” in a manner of speaking. And just as God brought Jesus back to life, so
God gave them new life. And God works in that same way in each and every one of
our lives, both now and forever!
I fully understand why some people have doubts about God’s ability to
make a difference in their lives. Life can be so full of twists and turns, ups
and downs, successes and failures, surprises and disappointments, that it can
be hard to see any plan or purpose. While we will probably never be able to
recognize fully what God is doing in our lives (at least in the present
moment!), we can be confident that God is nevertheless working in and through
us. All the love and mercy and joy and peace and freedom that we could ever
hope for: that is God’s purpose for us. We may not always see it clearly, but
in Jesus’ new life on Easter we see a glimpse of what the God who reigns over
all things has in store for us!
[1] © Alan Brehm. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm,
Ph. D., on 5/24/2020 at Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE.
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