Where is his power? ...

Friday, Nov 5, 2010. Talking about God's power is always a little dangerous. Why? Since you will stir a lot of emotions about this power.

Where is God's power? …

We had a discussion recently in one of our bible study groups about God's power. The controversy really started as someone formulated his problem with God: he does seem to be inactive. If you are ill, if you feed pain, if you ask the Lord to help … and nothing happens: how do you feel? Can you still claim, that God is powerful?

The question: “where is God's power?” is quite old. People have asked it for many centuries … both people of faith as well as people who do not believe at all in the eternal God. People who think that God does not exist will ask: where is your God. They will ask: if God is so powerful, why does he not show it? Where can we see it?

Doubts are also reflected in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. The question: God, where are you? has been prominently phrased by Jesus himself, at the cross, when he died: “why have you left me?”.

Hidden power? Or obvious power? …

Is God's power hidden? Often it seems like this. We live in a world, which does not seem to need God. Our technology does the job. We do the job. We conduct our life in a way, that God is not needed. And in fact, this is possible. You can live without God. God has given us this option: to live without him for up to 120 years. It is not an accident that the power of God is not obvious. It is his will.

Or is God's power obvious? The world is so absolutely fantastic, it shows the power of God. He created the small things and the huge things. He created the universe, stars and planets. He created the trees, the forests, the beauty of our landscape. He created the tiny things, the inner parts of our body. Nerves and microscopic processes have been invented by the almighty God. His power is breathtaking and obvious … though if we do not know him, we cannot identify him as the creator. We see the outcome, but not him at work.

We do not want to pretend to be able to completely answer. We might be able to collect some arguments, to provide some first steps towards a solution. But the questions for God's power is strongly linked to insight into his kingdom, his plans, his way to act and to be present where ever we are. A full picture will evolve only step by step … when we go the path of faith. ... more texts