God Said

God said—and created.

God said—to Joshua, “Do not fear” (Jos. 8:1). Facing the king of Ai, the one who had defeated them. Fear must have crept. The Lord had said victory, we sinned, we were defeated—and now? Will we conquer? Will we take? Joshua, day before camp, hot sweat on his brow early before the Judean sun from fear. God said, “Do not fear.” It would have been foolishness if it were not from the one whose word has all power. When God speaks, he acts.

“This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all who take refuge in him” (Ps. 18:30).

“Every word of God proves true” (Prov. 30:5).

God said—to Daniel, “And as [the angel of the Lord] spoke to me, I was strengthened…” (Dan. 10:19). A mere word to strengthen? Yet from the God whose words raised up and tore down kings Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and Darius, world superpowers, right before Daniel’s eyes (Dan. 2, 4, 5), this God whose word plants and destroys nations (Jer. 1), spoke through his messenger to Daniel. Strength flows out.

God said—to Paul, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you…’” (2 Cor. 12:9). He said. Meaning Jesus saw. He heard. He noticed. He responded. What a personal God! And what foolishness, grace is sufficient? Power in weakness? But HE said. He, the Risen and Ascended Lord.  

God said—to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home” (Mk. 2:11). It would have been a cruel statement except there was power behind those words. Perhaps the man had heard those words as a child, “Walk! Ha, ha, see if you can!” But here, said with power by the same voice that resonated over the formless earth and caused land to surface, shooting out of the watery chaos. Who called out mountains from the land. Who spoke and birds of paradise and palm trees came forth, sequoias raised up their heads, and gold-maned dandelions danced forth in glorious variety.

God said—to you and I. Do not fear. He speaks to strengthen you. My grace is sufficient. For today, today may seem impossible, but I say to you, rise.His word. All his power in his word. Spoken to you, for you, over you. Jesus' word still interceding and speaking before the Father on our behalf. God's Word active in our lives. The Spirit's word to us and making the Word alive to us. Power.
Personal God.
Speaking.
Still.
To you.
Creating. Advocating. Strengthening. Sustaining. Working. Renewing.

This God knows you where you are and what confronts you today. He speaks to you, today. Jesus knows how to sustain with a mere word him who is weary (Isaiah 50:4). Listen. His word is for you and is powerful. Creative.