Master of the Extraordinary

December 27

Our God is the Master of the extraordinary. People of faith, theologians, doubters, scoffers have tried to water Him down through the ages, but the fact remains that our God is an awesome God. Whether life and time began as they are detailed in the Biblical book of Genesis or with the ‘big bang’ some scientists theorize triggered the creation of the universe, the event was exceptional.

Amazing though creation may be, we who call ourselves Christians, we who are believers in the salvation provided by the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, would say that the most extraordinary of the miracles performed by our wonder-working God must be the resurrection of the Lord from the tomb on the third day.

This one, well-documented event of history establishes for all time and eternity the single most glorious and significant event in the chronicles of man. In light of the wonder of the resurrection, even the amazing miracles performed by Jesus—the opening of deaf ears, the enlightening of blind eyes, the loosening of mute tongues must all pale.

And there is another that must be mentioned when a list is being compiled of God’s great and wondrous acts in the behalf of the children of men. It was accomplished before the Second Member of the Trinity walked among men. It was performed in response to a grievous need of the Israelites, God’s chosen people.

That one amazing event is found in Joshua where it is recounted that time stood still so the Israelites could gain a victory over their foes. Read here the account of the wonder of the intervention of the God who transcends time but is the Master of time…marvel at the extraordinary length to which the Lord of time will go in the behalf of the need of His people.

In Joshua 10:14 it is recounted of the day, “There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man, because the Lord fought for Israel.” Though He did not don armor and wield a sword in the conflict, the God of Israel, our God, showed Himself strong and mighty by this extraordinary way of partnering with His people.

He still partners with us in amazing ways. No matter how we may be beset by the constraints of time or by the intrusion into our lives of evil circumstances or unbelieving people, we may know that the Christ who is “the same yesterday, today and forever,” Hebrews 13:8 is still able to do “exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think…” Ephesians 3:20. Look for Him at the point of your need and you, like the Israelites of old, will discover that He is still the Master of the extraordinary; like them, you, too will see His glory.