How Great is God?
Scripture Reading — Psalm 107:23-26
They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.
Ships today are the largest moving objects that people have built. On November 30, 2020, the ONE Apus—a mega container ship the size of a city block—was sailing in stormy seas off the coast of Japan and lost 1,800 containers overboard. Many more lay crushed on the deck of the ship. It was a massive ship, and yet it was tiny and vulnerable compared to the mighty waves of a storm at sea.
We are right to fear the awesome power of the ocean. But we should fear even more the Lord, who created the wind and the waves.
The seafarers in our text saw the mighty power of God. Psalm 107 gives several examples of people who were in difficult situations and saw the power of God. People in desert wastelands, prisoners in exile and slavery, rebels with deadly diseases, and merchants at sea. All despaired for their lives, but they saw God’s power and he rescued them. The same God who stirred up the waves also brought these people “out of their distress.” God is the sovereign Lord of the universe; he created our world and sustains it.
This psalm celebrates the power of God. It should lead us to fear God in awe and wonder, knowing that he loves and cares for us. It should especially leads us to worship God for his wonderful deeds.
Sovereign Lord, you are King over all creation. We are the people you have created. Show us today your wonderful deeds, your care of creation. Amen.
About the author — Jason Zuidema and David Rozeboom
Dr. Jason Zuidema is executive director of the North American Maritime Ministry Association (namma.org) and an elder in the Église réformée du Québec. David Rozeboom serves as chaplain at the Montreal Ministry to Seafarers of the Christian Reformed Church (ministrytoseafarers.org). The authors thank Kevin Walker, NAMMA director of programs, for editorial assistance.
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