God’s Power Restrained

Thursday, March 14, 2013 Posted by Debbie Legg

“…her impatience prompted misbehavior. A school headmistress, at first at a loss, finally told Jackie that she reminded her of a thoroughbred horse. But what good would a great racehorse be, she asked, “if he wasn’t trained to stay on the track, to stand still at the starting gate, to obey commands?” The analogy impressed the young equestrian. The filly stopped champing at the bit and allowed her trainers to break her in properly.” (James Spada on Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis)

That story prompted a very visual image for me. A thoroughbred horse has such thunderous strength, speed, courage, and power. To consent to be controlled at all, much less by a simple bridle and bit, seemed unfathomable to me.

That is exactly what our God does.

I'm not saying God allows Himself to be controlled and led around by us humans, but sometimes He purposefully holds back.

He has to. “No one can see Me and live.” (Exodus 33:20) The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (1 Kings 19:11-13)

Power so great that if we saw Him we couldn't survive it.

Power restrained by Love--to the gentle intimacy of whisper--to allure us, to invite us into relationship so extraordinarily profound that it will take all of eternity to unfold.

Father God, I offer the reigns of my life to You. Lead me, through the power of Your Love, ever closer to Your Heart.