Adoring the Almighty
Pastor Ian reminds us that our God is El Shaddai, and shares with us the adoration and prayers that the church gathered to lift up to this God Almighty last Friday.
When Abram was 75 years of age, he met a God who was nothing like his father’s gods. The god he met was a god who filled eternity and who promised him that he would be the father of a great nation. After ten years of trusting this god to fulfil his promise, Abram attempted to assist the Divine by sleeping with his wife’s servant; a decision that led his family and indeed all of humanity into deep division and conflict.
And then 14 years after that flawed and fateful decision, the promise-making god came to him again. Genesis 17:1-2 has preserved this for us. “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you and may multiply you greatly!’”
For 25 years, this God had provided Abram an “impossible” promise — so that he could fully comprehend, who this God truly was, and all that He was capable of doing! And then He met with him again and revealed a name that would dramatically redefine this god for Abram: He was not just a god (El); He was God Almighty (El Shaddai).
Shad—comes from an ancient Hebrew root for mother’s milk; milk given to a child who is utterly helpless to provide for himself or herself.
Dai—another ancient root word, means All Sufficient.
So El Shaddai is the name He gives to those in need of encouragement in difficult days. It is the name that provides strength in the middle of long waits… or perhaps even during a global pandemic. It is God saying, “I am still here, and I will be your nourishment until My sure deliverance comes.” Genesis 17 reminds us that God reveals the names by which we can call Him, so we can fully comprehend who it is we are addressing; so that we would understand all that He is capable of doing. He is the God who makes covenants with His people that He does not break. He’s the God who nourishes, sustains and provides for us until His promises are fulfilled. He is all we need. And He does not need us to strengthen Him with our feeble human strategies or contingency plans. He is God. Almighty.
This past Friday we gathered together on Zoom and in person to adore the Almighty. We shared and praised Him together in three main categories:
1. Interpersonal: We asked the question, “How does knowing God as ‘El Shaddai’ inform the way I pray for myself and others?”
What impossible or difficult situation are you facing right now?
Why can you wait on God?
What are the benefits of patiently waiting for His solution?
Why not take a moment now to pray:
Praise the God who is ever mighty to intervene for our good and His glory.
Bless Him for desiring us to know Him and for revealing Himself to us.
Praise Him, for being the Almighty God who completes us!
2. Missions: We asked the question, “How does knowing God as ‘El Shaddai’ change the way I pray for the nations and those who serve among them?”
Is there any one in your life who needs to know the gospel?
What barriers keep them from Faith in Christ?
Are you convinced that your Almighty God can break every barrier?
Now take a moment to pray:
Praise the God who is mighty to save.
Bless Him for His affection and mercy toward the nations.
Invite the Almighty to work in such a way that would lead every tribe and tongue to praise Him.
Pray specifically for Jason Sanglir (or any others you know who are serving in the Harvest), that God would use them in mighty ways to bring many to Christ!
Bless the Lord for the one who brought good news to you!
3. Resources: We asked the question, “How does knowing God as ‘El Shaddai’ change the way I pray—and vote—for Gospel Resources?
Are you ever guilty of trying to do everything humanly possible to do God’s work?
If someone was to observe your life, would they say that you are an owner of your things, or a good steward of God’s resources?
What specific choice can we make that would demonstrate we trust in a mighty God to provide all that we need?
Pause and Pray:
Praise the God who trusts us to steward His resources.
Bless Him for His outrageous generosity to us, His Church.
Ask Him to give us and our leaders discernment as we seek to steward the gifts, the time, the energy and the resources He has placed in our care.
As we pray privately and together—let me encourage us to remember His name is Almighty—and so remember that we can trust Him to accomplish His plans, His way!