God has spoken to us—but what do we know of him through what he has said? In spite of what God has said, many still do not have an inkling of who God is. In his Psalm, David depicted God appropriately when he said, “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving” (Psalm 62:11-12). Many view God as someone who is weak, impersonal and uncaring. But God is indeed strong and almighty. Before the Lord gave his commands, he introduced himself, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). It was a great deliverance that Israel experienced. God displayed his power and love for Israel in many ways. Even today, people can only look back with awe at the display of God’s power.
In Proverbs 18:10, King Solomon magnified the name of God, saying, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” In Scriptures, God is portrayed as strong and powerful. He was never described as weak and helpless. This is the reason why the apostle Paul confidently declared, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13). No one who puts their trust in the Lord will be put to shame. He delivered Israel out of bondage with his mighty hands and did great signs and wonders in the process.
No matter how strong the enemies of Israel were, they melted in fear as they came to grips with the name of the Lord. This was fully manifested when Israel was about to conquer Jericho. The men Joshua sent to spy on the land were told by Rahab, “We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea…When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below” (Joshua 2:10-11). Even before the Israelites actually set foot on the land, they had already conquered it in the hearts of the inhabitants because of the name of the Lord. This is how strong the Lord is.
King David also relied on the name of the Lord to conquer Goliath. Though Goliath seemed to be a formidable foe because of his size, armour and experience as a fighting man, David was not hindered. When he faced Goliath, David invoked the name of the Lord, saying, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Sam. 17:45). Relying solely in the name of the Lord, David conquered Goliath. He did not find it to be of any help to rely on man’s armour. When King Saul offered his amour to him and tried it, David said, “I cannot go in these because I am not used to them” (1 Sam. 17:39). Indeed, he was not used to relying on men for his deliverance. He always put his confidence in the strength of the Lord.
God is not only strong, but also loving. We can always count on his love for the forgiveness of our sins. Though the penalty of sin is death, his love prevailed and provided a way by which we can be forgiven and saved. The apostle John captured this truth beautifully when he said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Indeed, it is the love of God that covered our sins through the sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus himself did not hesitate to die on our behalf because of his love. He said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
Since God is strong and loving, we should have the confidence to live our Christian faith. We can always count on the grace and power of God for our deliverance. We do not need to rely on men’s wisdom and strength to overcome the most difficult challenges in life. Just like David, let us invoke the name of God and rely on his strength and love. Certainly, his love never fails. If he did not withhold his own Son, how much more will his love sustain us during those challenging moments in our lives. Let us put our faith and trust in him. He is able and he is mighty to save. Hallelujah!
