Immovable

We are going to look briefly at two Psalms. Compare these. Both, through the inspired Psalmist, state the thoughts of God. First, Psalm 93 ESV:

The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty! Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore.

This is a powerful picture of God. Here He stands robed in majesty; His clothing is strength; He has established the world; He is from everlasting. Ocean waves crash and roar like thunder. But God is stronger than all which happens in His creation. And after the Psalmist looks at and listens to all this--all the creation, then the Creator Himself--He has something to point out: What God says is very trustworthy. It is right that all who become joined to God's family be holy.

Now, another picture--Psalm 22:1-21:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 'He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!' Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet---I can count all my bones---they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion!

Two very different pictures. First, the immovable God, Creator, stronger than all His creation. All creation shouts joyfully for Him; He is higher than all. His revelations to us are trustworthy and we should be holy because He is holy.

But then another picture so very different, a lump of flesh, abandoned, alone, dying on the cross; a man forsaken. No hope in sight. Ignored, unheard, praying, crying out, and no replies. Prayer to the Deliverer, but no delivering; ignored by God, despised by the people. Jesus, trusts in God but He does not deliver. Here, Jesus, undergoing crucifixion, shares with us. Surely these experiences were what David wrote by inspired pen, the life of Jesus, 900+ years later, feeling utterly emptied and useless on the tree. Surrounded, trapped, tortured in His humanity, He feels His heart like wax. He feels--movable.

But He keeps trusting. And He dies. Sent by the Father, He dies for wicked, sin-choosing creatures. And in His strength provided us, we also can choose to repent, to turn, to return.

This is the Great Controversy. In the Great Controversy, we learn about who God is, who Satan is, and who we are. We choose the God who came to hold the trembling cup of salvation for us in trembling human hand. Immovable? Yes, immovably loving; immovably willing to die selflessly to open the pathway, to offer for us the sacrifice necessary, to change damaged human hearts, to make them holy, and prepare them to choose good, not evil, for all eternity. Jesus makes it possible.

He is the immovable God. Let us worship Him.