Unique God

“If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference”. – A.W. Tozer

I was reading about Jesus and Peter walking on the water, and realized like most things in the Bible it was a unique event. At the Lord’s command to Moses the waters of the Red sea parted. “By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.” (Exodus 15:8) A giant fish was prepared to swallow Jonah. On and on the acts of God reveal His singular unique nature. We are different and almost always want more of the same things we like, and trip over the same evil temptations. We are prone to bad habits, but good habits like memorizing scripture takes effort and discipline. 

It may be that God’s perfect, infinite, eternal nature does not repeat itself. Almighty God is different from the idols that deceive and lead us astray and our fallen human nature that is quick to settle for repetition of yesterday’s comfort. The Holy Spirit invented variety. When He fell upon the early gathered Believers, as tongues of fire, it didn’t happen at every gathering. The Lord knows us intimately, knowing our every thought before we think it. (Ps. 139:1-4) He knows what we need for today and in His lovingkindness He gives us a variety that is new, fresh, exactly what is best for growth, healing, correction, and leading toward Him and His purposes. 

Solomon observed, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”” (Lamentations 3:22-24) We must wait for God’s leading, rather than jump ahead in our plans. When we do, He surprises us with an amazing variety of blessings, discipline, joy or another expression of His love uniquely for today. We must walk in faith, rather than sight, everything does not have to be planned with an agenda. 

Some will object saying, He leads us in our plans and everything must be orderly. True, the Lord does not lead in chaos and if He gives one a word, insight or deed it must be submitted to Him. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)