Mighty

 Mighty is one of those words that feels really strange when you say it a few times.  Not a word we use often in everyday life but used often in the Bible to talk about God and several times in relation to Jesus.

Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Saviour, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. ( Is 60:16)

and of course most famously at Christmas :

 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called. Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace  (Is 9:6)

I remember many decades ago Graham Cooke came to speak at church.  I cant remember what he was teaching on but one of the things he got us to do has stuck with me for years.  He asked everyone to close their eyes and imagine they were standing on a battlefield.  I know you cant close your eyes as you are reading this but I urge you to go with this and imagine  the scene yourself.  As we look out over the scene in the near distance , facing us, we can see the ranked masses of an enemy army.  There are thousands of them.  They are very well armed.  They have tanks and mortars and bazookas and grenades as well as rows upon rows of machine guns all pointed directly at us.  They go as far back as the eye can see.  We can see the glint in their eyes and we know they are hungry for battle and their one aim is to slaughter us.  We are unprotected with not half as much armoury and no shelter or cover.  How do we feel?     

Just pause to imagine it

Now as we look at this scene we watch as the camera moves back and pans out.  As it does so, we realise that behind our troops there is something which we cant see because we are focused on the troops in front of us.  The camera pulls out, and out and out until we begin to see that what is behind our ranks is a pair of enormous feet.   As the camera pulls further out our troops are now looking very tiny but the feet and now legs are still only just in frame.  The camera pulls out further until we get the full picture of Jesus standing behind us.   We are almost invisible compared to His mighty size.   Jesus looks into the ' camera' with a smile. And He winks.

I absolutely love this exercise because it speaks so much truth.  Yes we are in a battle and yes our enemy is ruthless and well equipped.  Yes, we sometimes feel exposed and vulnerable.  But our mighty ,mighty God will never leave or forsake us.  He who is with us is SO much greater than he who is in the world. If God is for us, who can be against us?  The battle belongs to the Lord.  And it is easy for Him.  He is so much greater than the forces ranked against us that with a flick of His little finger He can wipe them off the face of the earth.

This Christmas if you are facing health difficulties or financial problems, relationship breakdown or spiritual wilderness, job worries or any other grievous struggle why not imagine those problems facing you on the battlefield?  Face them squarely in full acknowledgement that you are pretty powerless to do anything much about them.  Then let your camera pan out to see Jesus standing behind you, alongside you.  Make Him bigger than you have ever let Him be before.  Even more mighty.  And then watch Him smile at you and wink.



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