Psalm 145:4 One
generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty
acts.
While reading this verse today, I
started wondering what mighty acts of God have happened during my lifetime,
which could be told to the upcoming generation. I was born in 1957, so perhaps what I’ve experienced
as mighty acts may not be so great to the next generation. I can list several
things: the success of the Civil Rights movement under Dr. King; the Peace
Accords in Northern Ireland; the tearing down of the Berlin Wall; the
rebuilding of New York after 9-11; the restoration of the Gulf Coast after
Katrina; the invention of cell phones; the major medical breakthroughs in the
fields of cancer and disease research; the progress of space exploration. There
are many more that I have surely forgotten; there are other major events that I
have not recalled.
In the Faith community, the mighty
acts of God are harder to pinpoint because they have a major effect on
individuals and small groups, rather than being noticed on a world-wide scale.
I have known people to be cured of cancer through the power of prayer. I have
seen people so moved by the words of Christ that their lives have changed. I
have watched the people of God embrace those who are deeply hurt by loss and
tragedy. I have seen the spiritual nurturing of young children who have grown
in the Christian faith. I have been with people as they pass over from this
world to the next, quietly surrendering themselves to the Almighty will of God.
God’s mighty acts can be seen and
found wherever there are people on Earth. He has never abandoned us to the evil
that mankind often does, nor has He ever forsaken us in the midst of our
troubles. His mightiest act was to send His Son Jesus Christ into our world to
save us from our sins, to heal us of our hurt, and to restore us to God’s
favor. Above all else, this mighty act of salvation through Jesus, is the one
amazing event that I want to tell constantly to the next generation. In my
humble opinion, there is no other greater story, there is no other mightier act
of God.
Questions for personal reflection
When and where
have I seen God’s mighty acts in the world during my lifetime? When and where
have I personally experienced His mighty acts in my own life?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for being
present in the world and in our own lives. We seek Your guidance and look for
Your presence each day. Help us to see God’s mighty acts in the world, as well
as the ones we can experience in our everyday lives. In Your Holy Name, we
pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin
Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment
or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.
Today’s
image is one of John’s latest drawings called ‘Summertime Sunflowers.’ If you
would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Sunflowers.
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