God Will Make You Great

 God himself will stoop down to make me great. Psalm 18:35

Our 4-year-old grandson, Cole, has such a sweet spirit and his enthusiasm for life is HUGE! He takes his play and different activities so seriously and is always so focused, imaginative, and resourceful. But when you ask him if he would like to try some of the activities Miles is doing, like playing chess, being on a basketball team, or learning to play golf with his granddad, he says, “No, I’m not really good at those! But I am great at some things!”

For awhile, I felt badly for him and thought, “He’s just feeling a little intimidated by his big brother and doesn’t want to try because he might not be as good as Miles.” But I soon changed my mind. This is a confident, little guy who knows what he likes, what he wants, and who he is. And basketball, chess, and golf just aren’t on his list right now! He is very content just being himself and feels no pressure to be like anyone else! I pray that never changes and he will always feel just as secure and positive about being the wonderful person he is.

But this is not true for most of us, is it? We are either constantly trying to be someone different because we think it will make us more liked or respected, or we simply accept who we are in a humble and unpretentious way. We all have our own individual talents, abilities, and skills, but not many of us would ever consider ourselves “great” in any sense of the word.

If the truth be known, most of us are probably insecure about most things – our appearance, abilities, and achievements. We tend to look to those around us for validation and worth, for we all want and need approval, acceptance, and appreciation.

But such praise and security from others can be fleeting and profoundly lacking. People may be untrustworthy and they often let us down. Only God’s love and care can satisfy our longings and fill our deepest needs of worth. He wants us to feel valued and appreciated for the unique individuals we are. We can believe His Word when He tells us that we are worthy of His love and promises, and if we are valued by Him, then we are certainly worthy of the love and respect of those around us.

God desires to reach down and make us great! Can you imagine? It’s almost as if we have to read these words again to fully understand. “God Himself will stoop down to make ME great! ” 

It’s beyond comprehension. Just the thought of Him reaching down and placing His hand upon us to make us more than we think we are, is so humbling. Life and its many experiences may have damaged us in numerous ways, but He loves us for the beings He created us to be and He knows who we can become. And if we love and trust Him with our lives, He will make us great beyond anything we could have ever imagined. What a promise!

 Prayer

Dear God, I am constantly in awe of the treasures we can find in your Word – your promises and the depth of your love for us. Thank you for not only creating us, but for wanting to make us more than we could ever be on our own. May we look, not to others, but to you for our validation and contentment, for only you can give us the confidence and hope we need. Amen