Scriptures of Encouragement ~ O What A Beautiful God

The thunder romped across the heavens, rolling, barreling to its end. Lightning pierced the night sky bathing the trembling earth in sharp light. Wind. Hailstones. The Scripture tells us that smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth.

This image of a Holy, Sovereign Lord is painted in Psalm 18. What is beautiful to me is that this is the Lord's response to David (or more specifically to David's enemies) when David cried out to Him, "I will love You, O Lord, my strength. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies."

David goes on to say, "In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears."

The very next phrase is, "Then the Lord..." God showed up in all His glory and power. He threw around His might and His authority and, quite effectively, destroyed the enemy and set David free.

Pretty cool, huh? Now let's juxtapose this fiery, powerful image of Almighty God to that of Abba Father, loosely translated as Daddy God. Dear One, we are loved by a magnificent, powerful, TENDER God.

Genesis 2:6,7 reads, "but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."

First, the Lord moistened the earth with a mist--a dew--as He poured out His favor on the land, much like His grace that rains down from heaven. In His mighty hand, God swept the moisture into the dust of the earth. Intentionally--with great purpose--He swirled the droplets of grace into the dead dust creating a perfect clay. God then shaped and formed His child, Adam. 

Gently, the Lord cupped Adam's head and face. He bowed over His creation and placed His lips over Adam's parched lips and breathed the breath of life. One breath. The Lord pulled back and looked at His child who lay limp in His arms. Again, He breathed and this time Adam's chest began to rise and fall. Adam opened his eyes, blinking to clear his vision. Eyes locked. Father and child met one another in the reflection of great love. Tender. Gentle. Everlasting.

Recently, I felt as though I was but the dust of the earth. No life. No joy. Just being blown around by the passing breeze. But, God.

But God swirled refreshing grace into the dead dust and created the perfect clay. He repaired this broken vessel, making me strong and pliable. Then He held my face in His gentle, yet mighty hands and breathed life into His child. 

Eyes locked and I found myself in the reflection of His great love.

As I lay resting, basking in the Truth of His love, He sent the thunder rolling and the lightning piercing to scatter my enemies. Smoke flared from His nostrils and the earth quaked at the sound of His voice. He rode upon the wings of the wind and sent out His arrows to destroy my foe.

O what a beautiful God! He is mighty to save, faithful to deliver. Great is His love and His tender touch.



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If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit the Morning Glory  page to worship with Shawn McDonald as he sings, "Beautiful". Shawn is a young man that knows firsthand the power and beauty of God's grace. God delivered him from a drug addiction and a self-destructing path. You'll hear it in his voice.