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by Bill Seng

“Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.” ~Habakkuk 3:2

Throughout human history, fame has been acquired in various ways. Some are conquerors, like Alexander the Great. Some are artists, like Leonardo da Vinci. Still others through their ability to govern rise to incredible levels of fame, like Ronald Reagan. The accomplishments of men are few and insignificant. We amuse ourselves over small deeds that quickly fade and are forgotten. God’s deeds are enduring and will always be remembered. Although we deserve his wrath, he shows mercy.

Mankind deserves destruction. The entire human race is rebellious against God. Entire nations rise up to declare their disdain for the good ways of the Lord, and yet he allows rain to fall on the wicked and the righteous alike. His great love is truly remarkable.

The funny thing is that God has chosen that which is foolish to the world to be his crowning jewel. You might recall the stories of the ancient Israelites and how they were enslaved by the Egyptians. God delivered them from captivity and the world took notice. He split the waters of the Red Sea and commanded them where to go. When they would enter great cities of their day, even in small dispatches, fear gripped the people. They heard of the Lord’s fame and how he delivered them from the hand of the Egyptians. Israel had to have felt pretty special to be chosen by the Creator of the universe to be his precious jewel.

God’s love for Israel was great, but it was not because the nation of Israel was great, powerful, or more numerous than other people. In fact, God chose them because they were small compared to the other nations. As they would travel from city to city and nation to nation, people would realize that their success in conquering the land God had promised was not their own doing, but truly the work of God. His hand would turn against those he was driving out and help Israel whenever the threat seemed too great. When the burden of their own wickedness escalated too high, he disciplined them and offered deliverance.

Jesus came to the world when the burden of sin was too great. It was for our sake that God loved the world, the entire world, so much that he would not let it descend into absolute darkness. Jesus died for our sins so that would could follow God. In his day, his fame spread throughout the land. Today, his fame continues. In our own nation, millions of people bow to the name of Jesus. As his fame spreads throughout the world, people hearing the Gospel for the first time are filled with hope. They choose to follow Jesus because he is good and his fame was spread by the words of his people.

Spread the fame of Jesus. His mercy is great. His love endures forever. Praise God all the days of your life.

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