How Big is Your God?

A Limited Seeker

I am a limited seeker.

That is, according to children, when they were pre-school age and we would play Hide-N-Seek, they believed I had serious limitations.

We’ve all played that game w/ our kids. You know what it’s like.

Jared, our youngest, he’s now 27, when he was 3, we played the game.

I was “it”. He hid.

Here’s where he hid.

Pulled out the drawer, didn’t even fit, but face down hiding his eyes.

He believed I am so limited that I can’t see him if he can’t see me.

Our oldest, our daughter who’s now 31, her view of me was a little different.

We’re in Minot, ND. Winter is crazy cold. We’re playing in the basement. It’s finished and fully furnished, living room, bedroom, bathroom, playroom.

I’m it, she’s hiding. I count. She giggles and runs off. I know right where she is. I can hear her.

But, she thinks I can’t. I’m getting close to hearing aids now, but when I was 35 I heard pretty well.

So, not only does she think I can’t hear her, but she thinks I need her help to find her.

Typical dad, I’d yell out, “Where’s Alyssa?”

She’d laugh.

I’d call out, “Is she behind the door?”

I’d hear, “No.”

“Is she under the bed?”

“No”

Obviously, I need help. She needs to help me find her. She wants me to find her. I am incompetent and incapable of performing the task that she requests.

This is all funny, isn’t it?

Until we realize this is also how we view God.

“If I can’t see Him, then He can’t see me.”

He doesn’t know what I’m doing and I can get away w/ it.

Or, He needs my help. Obviously, He’s not doing what I expect when I expect it so I need to help Him.

He is incompetent and incapable of doing what I want him to do.

We would never say these things out loud. But, do we live our lives as if?

How big is your God?

Reality, it’s not really a question of how big is God. It’s a question of your view of God.

How big do you believe He is?

Either God is severely limited, or He isn’t.

He can’t see me.

He needs my help.

He’s not strong enough.

He doesn’t love me enough.

He’s not worth it.

He may know what will happen but can’t do anything about it.

Our occasionally spoken, more often demonstrated list of God’s limitations goes on.

Usually, that’s because we compare God to ourselves. I couldn’t do that, so God must not be able to do that.

How big is your God?

How big is your view of God?

Take our human limitations off God and see Him for all that He is capable of and competent to do.

I want to challenge all of us to increase the size of our view of God.

We’re in 1 Kings 14 today. It’s almost comical how little Jeroboam and his wife think of God.

It will be okay to laugh out loud when you realize how absurd their actions are.

That is, unless you’re kind of guilty of the same thing. Then, you should probably keep your chuckle and your chortle to yourself.

Here’s the situation and you’ll see how Jeroboam and his wife had a very small view of God

Small God

1 Kings 14:1–3 NIV

At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became ill, and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Go, disguise yourself, so you won’t be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam. Then go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there—the one who told me I would be king over this people. Take ten loaves of bread with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.”

There was a split in Israel. Not really a civil war, there was no war. But the 10 northern tribes united with Jeroboam as their king.

The 2 southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin, kept Rehoboam as their king.

Tough situation. I cannot imagine a more difficult issue.

We are going thru the grief process after losing Sara’s mom. Grief is hard.

And this weekend Sara is in Indiana saying good bye to a friend who is dying of cancer. She’s been fighting it for 13 years and won every battle until now.

As hard as this is, losing a child is about 100x harder. I cannot imagine.

This is not the kind of thing you are just automatically ready for. In fact, I don’t think there is any way to be ready.

But, it’s possible to be more prepared to deal w/ it.

And they really weren’t.

They had such a small view of God that they were not prepared to go thru a situation that requires a big view of God.

Evidence:

The disguise

This would be funny if the situ weren’t so sad.

She put on a disguise to go see a man who sees things that others cannot see.

They knew he saw into the future but did not believe he could see thru her costume.

What was the point of this? Can he really see?

Just like my son burying his face in the drawer. He couldn’t see me so I must not be able to see him.

So, going to Ahijah is the same as going to God. He heard from God and shared what he heard.

She had such a small view of God and large view of herself that she thought she could fool God.

Yet she hoped God might do something for her that only a big God could do.

Then, there was the gift

The gift

10 loaves of bread, some raison cakes, and a jar of honey.

It was an embarrassingly small and paltry amount in value.

The king of Israel was wealthy. This would have been the equivalent of pocket change.

Searching the sofa cushions, the cup-holder in his car and between the seats on the way for whatever spare change she could find.

She went to ask God for a favor, the Creator of the universe, the one who established Israel as a world power and est’d her husband as king.

If you’re going to invite Bill Gates or Warren Buffet over for dinner to ask them a favor, you’d better prepare something special.

Buffett is an Omaha, NE guys. So the best steaks you can find.

Gates probably wouldn’t want a steak. Fish maybe.

Either way, it better be the best, most expensive you can find.

And, if you’re going to ask God for a favor, you better kill the fatted calf and bring several courses along w/ it.

That was insulting. It wasn’t just the value or amount. It was what they believed about God in their heart that led them to bring such a small amount.

Bad idea to insult God w/ such a small view of Him before asking Him for such a big favor.

And then, what did they ask Him for? What was their request?

The request

All they wanted was information.

Information is helpful when you’re making a decision about what you are going to do yourself.

But, what could they do? Their son was dying.

She hoped that Ahijah would tell her that her son was going to recover.

She hoped for a message of deliverance, but what she got was a message of doom.

She didn’t ask God to do anything for him.

What mom would not beg and plead to whomever could do anything to save her son.

She just want to know what was going to happen to him. As if God couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything that would save his life.

Fate. Whatever will happen, will happen.

We are going to get to 1 Kings 17 and 2 Kings 4 where Elijah and Elisha, both men of God, will raise a son from the dead.

Why did she not know this and beg Ahijah to save her son?

B/C she had such a little view of God and his willingness and abilities to do it.

No Jeroboam and his wife did not deserve it. But, God has been gracious w/ ppl from the beginning of time.

It takes a big view of God and an appropriately small view of yourself to ask God for something you know you don’t deserve but believe he might do it anyway.

Humility. Grace.

Just like my daughter believed I needed help finding her so she led me to her;

Jeroboam’s wife thought God needed her help. She could do the heavy lifting if God would let her know what needed t/b lifted.

She thought she was in control and needed to control the narrative and the situ.

But is what she found out.

The control

1 Kings 14:4–6 NIV

So Jeroboam’s wife did what he said and went to Ahijah’s house in Shiloh. Now Ahijah could not see; his sight was gone because of his age. But the Lord had told Ahijah, “Jeroboam’s wife is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill, and you are to give her such and such an answer. When she arrives, she will pretend to be someone else.” So when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why this pretense? I have been sent to you with bad news.

Ironically, Ahijah is blind. So, he can’t see what others can. But he can see what others can’t.

Another twist to confirm that it is God who is speaking thru him.

Ahijah is not operating on his own.

He immediately ID’s her and asks her in.

How weird is that. She’s in disguise, he’s blind, he calls her by name before she speaks.

That ought to have blown her little box to bits. That’s the little box she kept God in.

Then he says, “I have been sent to you.”

Wait a minute. She decided to come to him.

So who really is ultimately in control of all things. She decided to come to him thinking it was all her idea.

And yet, God sent Ahijah to her.

So, did God decide or did she and her husband decide? yes.

No matter your situ, nothing happens outside of God’s control.

He never slaps his forehead and says, “Huh! Never saw that coming.”

He always knows what’s coming and is prepared to prepare you for it.

It requires a small view of God to think that you decide what’s going to happen, who’s visiting whom, and for what reason.

And a big view of yourself to think God is waiting for you to make something happen.

He’s God. And, He has a way of prompting us to decide to do what He wants to happen w/out us feeling manipulated or controlled.

They didn’t deserve what they were asking of God.

This is the life they led before coming to ask God for help.

It seems, He was their last resort. He should have been their first response.

The hedge

1 Kings 14:9–10 NIV

You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have aroused my anger and turned your back on me. “ ‘Because of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel—slave or free. I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns dung, until it is all gone.

They hedged their bets. They divided their loyalties between other gods, idols, and maybe a little for God.

What had the golden calf done up to that point to prove it was worthy of their worship?

What had to carved stones and totem poles done for them?

They finally came to God when they realized none of their other gods could fix their problem.

He was their last hope. He was their only hope but they hadn’t seen it that way.

Such a small view of God that he would be considered even equal, if not lesser to a golden calf, carved rock, or totem pole.

It’s not that God is small. It was their view of God that was small. That’s what gets us into trouble.

We act like 3 year olds playing Hide-N-Seek w/ God.

He’s a Big, Big God. More capable and competent that we can comprehend.

Let’s expand our view to more accurately understand who God is and what He can do.

The Big God

I’m going to combine a response to what Jeroboam and his wife did with the applications I normally end w/.

There won’t be any applications in the end of this message. They will be combined here.

We worship a big God. How big is He?

The Creator

Genesis 1:1–3 NIV

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

God has the imagination, intelligence, and ability to create everything you can see, and everything that has not been discovered, yet.

We’re so excited we’re seeing the surface of Mars for the first time.

God’s like, “Really?! You’re excited about Mars?” You ain’t seen nothing yet.

He created everything out of nothing.

Here’s what I want you to do when you get home from church.

Go into your kitchen, stand there, boldly say, “Cheeseburger” or “Chicken Salad”

Then, wait and see what happens.

God didn’t have to go get a list of ingredients then create everything. He created the ingredients then created the universe just by saying it.

Tell me what God can’t do. Or, what He is waiting for you to come up w/ to fix your own problem that He hadn’t already thought of?

Nothing happens outside of his control.

He is never surprised or caught off guard by anything that happens to you.

Give up trying to control everything and everyone in your life.

He knows more and is capable of more. Let him lead. Just follow.

God is not bound by human limitations. When we come to the end of our ability to comprehend God can go well beyond us.

When David faced Goliath he walked out with a sling shot and a stone to face a giant warrior.

If he was standing too close to Goliath, that’s all he’d see and he’d have been killed.

He stepped back to where is sling shot would work and it gave him a different perspective.

He saw God instead of Goliath.

When you face a big and difficult situ, focus on the size of your God, not on the size of your problem.

Focus on the creative, imaginative, powerful God who is in control of every detail in your life.

I can’t think of a more difficult situ than the death of a child.

That said, if you can’t see that God can redeem even a situation like this then your view of God is too small.

I don’t know how He can. But He will.

It takes a big God to be able to do that. And He can.

Make your requests of God like you believe He is bigger than you can comprehend.

He is more capable and competent than you are.

He has a bigger imagination, more creative, and more able to do whatever He thinks up.

He is in control of every detail that you feel is spinning out of control.

Step back and increase the size of you trust that God has you. Wait and see what He’s about to do.

The Cost

Luke 9:23–25 NIV

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

God believes you are worth His life.

Do you believe He is worth yours?

All of you for all of Him every day.

It is a complete waste of time to split you worshiping energy w/ any other thing.

We probably don’t have any totem poles or carved rocks around, but we do have idols that we think can do what only God can do.

For instance, I receive an app for another credit card almost every day in the mail.

They want me to think I can buy my way to happiness and contentment leaving my problems behind.

But, It only masks them my problems and I end up more anxious for the debt I have accumulated.

Speaking of masking problems, why are there 7 bars in Munds Park?

Alcohol can be an idol if you expect it to help you deal w/ the issues you need to deal w/.

When the topic comes up around town, with my tongue firmly planted in cheek, I say,

“This summer the church is going to sponsor a pub crawl to all 7 bars. And we will end up at our AA meeting on Monday night at 7.”

Don’t hedge your bets. There is no just in case God can’t or won’t.

Be all in w/ the One and Only True God.

And, as far as monetary gifts for God, in the OT the base amount to give was 10%. It went up from there.

The NT principle is give as God has blessed you.

God does not expect you to empty your bank acct to give to charity. But it is supposed to hurt a little.

Maybe you need to up the %age a little.

God is not your last resort but your first response. He is your only hope.

Don’t go anywhere else to get what only He can give.

And when you ask, make sure you have given Him his due before you make your request.

The Cleaning

Matthew 5:27–28 NIV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

He says the same thing about murder.

The Pharisees thought they were okay b/c they hadn’t gone anywhere and done anything that was adulterous.

But Jesus is saying here that even if you think about it you’re guilty of it.

Busted!

But, okay, who knows what your thinking?

Matthew 9:3–4 NIV

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?

The context here is one of Jesus’s miracles.

But, not important. What is important is to realize that not only does Jesus know where are all the time and what you doing, he knows what you’re thinking.

Let’s clean it up.

Don’t waste any energy w/ a disguise, or hiding in a drawer covering your eyes.

B/C, God is big enough to see you all the time and see thru whatever disguise you may be trying to hide behind.

Just clean it up.

God knew all along what we were going to do and Jesus died for us anyway.

Don’t beat yourself up for doing anything wrong, God isn’t.

Don’t feel guilty for having a small view of God.

Increase it and enjoy the grace with which God treats all us.