God is almighty. As the Almighty, God is the foundation of everything. He is present everywhere, sees all, knows all, is right-minded and perfectly good.
God has created all with His word. But the Creator’s creation work is not limited to the beginning of life and the world. The world is not in the hands of a blind destiny. With His word, the Almighty continuously creates and maintains that which He has created.
Trusting in the Almighty
We can not comprehend God’s almight-iness with human understanding. But in faith, we trust that God and His plans are behind everything. Faith brings forth trust in God as the Father who leads life and whose care we can resort in.
Trust in God’s almightiness may waver if we run into difficulties, suffering or evil in our lives. Or when life does not go as a person would wish. Or when it feels as though one self knows the meaning and purpose of their own lives better than God does.
The almighty God’s wisdom and will are kept secret from people, and often in the face of trials one must humbly and quietly be satisfied with the words Jesus taught: “Your will be done”.
God also tested Job from the Bible, who in the end rebelled against His will. Then God reminded Job of His almight iness.
The Lord of life and death
God’s almightiness also includes His power as the Lord of life and death. God’s creation work is perfectly holy. Man does not have the right to take birth and death into his own control. Man can only try to honor and protect life. The Bible often reminds us of life’s perishability and death.
Its intent is not to scare or vaunt power, which God most powerfully shows in birth and death. God’s word’s task is to remind people that life cannot be depended on, because it is perishable and is taken away from us in death.
Father’s goodness
Can the almighty and good God exist, if evil happens in the world? As the Almighty, God is not a tyrant or terror who rules with fear and violence. God is righteous; in other words a right-minded and good Father. But God does allow suffering to happen in the world.
Luther calls it God’s “strange” work. With this work He humbles people, undresses them of their power and guides them to resort in Christ.
Peter writes: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)
Faith gives the strength to see that God’s work in the world is good despite the trials of life. The continuation of life, care for loved ones, peace and joy are examples of God’s influence in creation. ❏
Text: Antti Koivisto
This article is published in the book “Uskon aakkosia” SRK 2012.
Tranlastion: Angela Hänninen
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