Chapel Service
Iowa Speedway
July 28, 2017
“Majesty”
Bob Butcher
Have you ever thought about the “Majesty” of God? Most of us take that in a very simple manor. As humans we tend to only look at that subject the same as we consider her majesty Queen Elisabeth of England or another royal emperor of a nation.
Look at the definition of “majesty” in the 1828 Version of Noah Webster’s Dictionary:
“Greatness of appearance; dignity; grandeur; dignity of aspect or manner; the quality or state of a person or thing which inspires awe or reverence in the beholder. However, It is applied with peculiar propriety to God and His works.”
- It is actually one of the very names of God the Father as shown in Hebrews 1:3 and 8:1
- The Lord reigns; He is clothed with majesty Psalms 93:1
- The voice of the Lord is full of majesty Psalms 29:4.
It is applied to the dignity, pomp and splendor of earthly princes also. It is shown to be so in the Bible account of Xerxes when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom–the honor of his excellent majesty for six months — Esther 1:1-4.
To bring this home personally, let me tell you about some experiences and reflections that have impacted me lately.
One of the other “ministry hats” I still love wearing when I am not here with you is staffing our Youth With A Mission (YWAM) NIKO Leadership & Team Building programs whenever possible.
The last two we have had a unique experience of Gods creation.
The first one was last September when a woodpecker drove us nuts every day pecking on this old dead tree. But every time Rhoda started worship with our group and led with her guitar that bird stopped pecking and sat quietly on a branch.
I just spent another week (July 10-15th) in the wilderness with a junior high Korean church group from L.A.. Throughout the week 2 crows drove us crazy by constantly flittering together around our base camp and never paused squawking…
…Until Rhoda took her guitar and led worship. Immediately, even before she started, and was just practicing, they would stop and sit side by side on a branch in that old dead tree. Every morning! Every evening too!
How weird is that?
Or is it just… Gods majesty? …or His created nature around us speaking out to anyone who notices and takes note of it to ponder?
What’s your definition of majesty?
As we saw at the beginning chances are in our human wisdom, and/or business, and it really says nothing or reveals nothing about the true majesty of God because we simply miss this reality.
King David wrote Psalms 19 and it begins by saying “The heavens and universe declares the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork. 2 Day after day it speaks out; night after night it reveals His majesty…”
Almost everything we most often take for granted demonstrates the majesty of God.
Each one of us are an expression of Gods majesty. That’s incredible, humbling, mind boggling.
Think about that!
YOU are a demonstration of Gods Majesty!
Gods majesty is demonstrated in the fact that each one of us are created unique to this world.
You see God can’t make a mistake. It’s impossible because He created EVERYTHING and declared it (and us) were good. (Genesis 1)
Each one of us are unique and from His creation until today there has never been, nor ever will be again, …anyone just like You!
The closest comparison to anyone else is our DNA. Just like there are no 2 snowflakes exactly are alike; …neither are we!
Stop and think of the number of people who have lived throughout history and none are alike.
That is mind boggling!
But THAT is God’s majesty. That is the definition of majesty when it refers to God. Perfectly unique creation in everything single thing He has and will create.
During this NIKO We had Simon a young Korean teenager with us. He overcame so much physical pain hiking. However, through it all he still was the heartbeat & glue of the team.
At one point we told him that it’s times like this in life that we choose who we are …especially character wise. “So, who are you Simon?” And through his pain and exhaustion of that 15 mile hike he grinned and started running!
That is the same with all of us and especially you drivers. It’s Gods majesty showing through when you choose character over complaint, over retribution, over the easy way out, and all the negative choices.
The positive side is that you strengthen yourself each time.
Like a lump of coal under pressure that makes beautiful diamond; when we succeed we become diamond-like to God and we glorify Him and please Him.
The hard side is that now you are left with no excuse.
You can make the correct choice and radiate Gods majesty and display through you with each and every choice minute by minute of your life …in hard times as well as the times of victory over what we face.
What’s your choice?