Jehovah El Shaddai
It was just like any other night. Tea time over. My children, relaxed after a long uneventful Sunday. Some lying in the chair’s, others sitted with their legs over the armrests and the others arguing over who should have the phone and for what duration. I mean a typical family, end of day scenario.
Early that morning, my 5th daughter had asked her dad where God came from and if He [God] had a dad and mom. Nothing unusual about the question. My husband was busy getting ready for church so he gave the usual closed end answer most parents have and give; “God was always just there. He didn’t come from somewhere or anywhere.” And the tone was enough to let the enquirer know that, one more step forward and you are over the cliff.
That evening I felt I should pursue that a little more and give my daughter a “better “ scripturally based answer. So up popped the question again, this time from me.
“ Where did God come from?”
“He was just there. He didn’t come from anywhere!” answered my 4th daughter.
“Yeah and that’s what makes him God. If he came from somewhere it might imply someone made Him and then He will cease to be God.” I ventured on.
“And just imagine how it was before he created the earth and the heavens.” chipped in my second daughter,” just a vast expanse of nothing. Total darkness.”
“No, I don’t think it was total darkness,” I interrupted. “You talk about darkness because you have the concept of light, which He created, to compare with. My assumption is He filled that space and He is not darkness.”
“The thought of a large unending empty space is overwhelmingly scary,” she said pensively. I agreed with her observation as I tried to visualize that. Just like the other times, I felt like my brain was swirling and my head about to burst and since it’s the only one I have and I sure still need it for other operations, I abandoned the idea. Just like you leave matters of generals to generals it’s also wisdom to leave matters of infinity to the infinite.
“But mom!” My 3rd daughter changed the course of the conversation abruptly. “I don’t mean to be rude but why did God put Mary in an awkward position to have to explain to Joseph that she was expecting?” (yet they were not husband and wife! I finished the question for her in my mind. Yeah, something’s you don’t just go blabbering out loud! hmmm!) “You mean the Holy Spirit put Jesus in Mary’s womb?” She continued.
I sensed the trajectory of the question wouldn’t be in my favor so I deflected it. “Know what? the Holy Spirit makes every baby in the womb”. I replied trying to avoid the role the Josephs of this world play in the project. “Even you, God intricately formed you in my womb, I added.” “I think it was easier for God to put Jesus in Mary’s womb than to make you,” my 5th daughter declared to her sister. “because He was already there, unlike you who had to be formed from scratch.”
Later that night as I lay in my bed I reflected on that conversation and realized how connected the seemingly unrelated two lines of conversation were. Jesus is God. He inhabits the universe. That expanse of space which sends my mind whirling at just the thought of it. Scripture tells us that the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him. He is in Heaven and in the remotest part of the sea. He inhabits realms we don’t have the remotest knowledge or idea about. That is how big he is. And much more. Was it really much easier to put Jesus in Mary’s womb than form us?
That is compressing a being that big to the size of a cell that is so microscopic it can’t be seen with an ordinary microscope. One of the cells in reproduction is said to be 0.002 inch or 50 micrometers. The other is 100 microns or a millionth of a meter. About as wide as a strand of hair. Now I have a feeling God did not need these 2 cells but Jesus had to start from that size at least. So, says my finite mind. But that process, where God became man, the infinite became finite, is transcendent. As mind boggling as it is, scripture asserts it took place.
Suddenly a thought flashed through my mind! A thought my mind could comfortably process! Why do I get overwhelmed by the issues of life when I have the one who does the impossible with me? True I know Him as my father. One who cares, directs and mostly disciplines. (hmmm!). I confess Him as my shepherd. He guides me and watches over me, protecting me from small wolves and foxes which when I seriously think about it, I can fend off. Some with ease, others require a little more effort but well I still could. Now I’m not belittling God’s goodness and mercy, love and protection, provision and care. I just realized I don’t entrust Him with the seemingly big issues of my life. I surrender the mundane parts of my life to him, which is great but I have subconsciously believed He can’t handle the other things. I don’t know Him as, or haven’t acknowledged Him as Jehovah El Shaddai — God Almighty.
The Word pictures God’s strength and power to accomplish impossible things. El is the Hebrew word for God. Shaddai according to some scholars, comes from the word mountain, representing God’ s strength. Abiding and immovable from generation to generation. The God who parted the Red Sea, made iron float on water using a wooden magnet, healed the sick and raised the dead. The one who laid aside his majesty and put on frail humanity. The all-powerful and all sufficient God who can do anything and meet any need. I’d put Him in the closet of the pages of the Bible and closed the door behind me consulting Him occasionally.
Here he was reminding me of His greatness and ability through an ordinary family conversation. A humbling reminder indeed. I quickly made a conscious note. Those seeming unsurmountable mountains are not mountains to Him. The resolutions that I make year in and out and I fear to dare them because of my limitations I shouldn’t assume He is also limited. The burdens that threaten to squash me under their weight are not burdens to him. If anything, my dreams still fall within the realm of things already accomplished by others. My dreams, Ideas and aspirations, however lofty have been achieved by others whether before me or in the present. He has seen many through daunting circumstances. I only have to remember that He is My Jehovah El Shaddai and cast all my cares upon Him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 records that “the eyes of the Lord roam to and fro over all the earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him”. The only condition here is, my heart should be fully devoted to Him.
At least this can be the starting point…
