[Difference Makers ls] God of the Universe and Little Ol’ Me Sample
Grasshoppers
Isaiah, in verse 22, says that God is enthroned above the circle of the earth—meaning the horizon. In 700 BC, getting past the horizon was unheard of. They did not have supersonic planes and jets or global imaging satellites. So, Isaiah says God is enthroned past the horizon, encircling the earth, and the people of the earth are like grasshoppers. Have you ever been on a plane and looked down and said, “Look at the little cars down there! Look at the little people! They look like ants!” To God we look like grasshoppers—like itty-bitty grasshoppers.
But what do we do as grasshoppers? We say, “God is unrivaled,” yet we rival Him in our own hearts. The question is not, Is God rivaled in the cosmos? The question is, Is God rivaled in your heart? Are you and God in rivalry? Are you and God in a win-lose contest? Are you going to push your will instead of His will? We have a God that sits encircled above the earth, and we are like grasshoppers before Him. He is greater, He is more, He is encircled.
So, imagine what we look like, bringing our little grasshopper rivalries with one another before Him. Strutting around saying, “I'm a little bit taller grasshopper.” Saying to others, “You are an ordinary grasshopper, but I am a famous grasshopper. I am a powerful grasshopper. Look how high I can jump.” We are still all grasshoppers!
Imagine what we look like, fearfully asking, “Lord, can You fix this?” as if God were as helpless as we are. Therefore, Isaiah says, “Have you not heard? Have you not seen? Do you not know? God sits above the heavens.” The Lord is great. He is amazing. He is the One who is higher than all of our problems. God is unrivaled. God is huge. He has no equal. He is holy. Do you not know, have you not heard, have you not seen? He is enthroned above. People are like grasshoppers before Him. And we are going to see that He is vast, but He is also interested in us. The God of the universe is interested in us grasshoppers—in little ol’ me and in little ol’ you.
Do I see the greatness of my own grasshopper self, or do I see the greatness of God?
Scripture
About this Plan
Through Isaiah, God gave a message of hope that the people of Judah and Israel would need after their time in exile. Emphasizing God’s greatness, and contrasting it to human frailty, Matte highlights how we should trust God, gain perspective on our troubles, approach leadership, and consider the universe. With a two-tiered look at God’s transcendence and His intimacy, this plan will encourage you in your spiritual growth.
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