I grew up with a view of Mt. Pilchuck. For years I gazed at it from my back porch. It became familiar. In my mind, Mt. Pilchuck was the 2D blue triangle frosted with snow that lived miles behind my house. But everything changed when I hiked it.
Similarly, our view of God can become familiar. He can feel 2D. So, the psalmist invites us to hike the glories of God by meditating on Him day and night (Ps 1:2). One way to meditate is to consider a truth about God and ask, “What would life be like if that were not true?”
One Sunday morning we sang, “Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and mighty!” Let us meditate on those words by asking ourselves what life might be like if both were not true.
What if God wasn’t merciful and mighty?
God helps us when we cannot help ourselves. This is his mercy. God is strong enough to help us with our biggest problems. This is his might. We praise God for both: “Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!” But:
What if God was merciful, but not mighty? Then, God would want to help us, but he wouldn’t be able to. That is not good news. We could praise God for wanting to save us, but we would still be dead in our sins. So, we would desperately be searching for a better God.
What if God was mighty, but not merciful? Then, God would be able to help us with our biggest problems (i.e., sin and suffering), but he wouldn’t want to. That is not good news. We would squirm in anguish because he wouldn’t be willing to help us. So, we would still be desperately searching for a better God.
What if God was not merciful or mighty? Then every day would be like chewing gravel while lying in ashes, never knowing peace or happiness (Lam 3:16–17).
But Good News: God is Both!
What does it mean that God is merciful and mighty? It means God wants to help us and he can. There is no stain of sin too great for Christ’s blood to wash away! There is no tear from our eyes that our God cannot wipe away! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son (mercy), that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (might)” (Jn 3:16).
May you be freshly encouraged to so believe in God’s mercy and might in the coming weeks that you share your burdens of sin and suffering with your church family, so that together you may seek the one who wants to help you and who can (Heb 4:15–16).
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!Holy, holy, holy! all the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea.
Cherubim and seraphim, falling down before thee,
Who was and is and evermore shall be.Holy, Holy, Holy! though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.
Grace be with you all,
Garrett Dmochowsky
3rd-Year Seminarian