| “No one is like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power … Among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like you.” |
| —Jeremiah 10:6-7 |
Sometimes I hear people questioning to what the “Beyond” in the chain store Bed, Bath and Beyond® refers. But, it got me thinking about that English word, and two Scripture passages containing it.
Perhaps the first passage came to me in an especially difficult time. From 2 Corinthians 1:8, I recalled:
We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
Many will say that God never gives us any burdens we can’t bear alone. I’m not so sure. He wants to grow us to the point in which we have no strength left in ourselves, so that He can show us His mighty power at work in and for us. When we run out of our ability to endure, we can count on His power to take over.
I know this because I read about this power in the Apostle Paul’s words found in Ephesians 3:20-21 (NASB):Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Our God gives us trials beyond our abilities to endure so that He can do what goes abundantly beyond all that we could even imagine!
In response, I repeat to you from a contemporary hymn:1
O God beyond all praising,
we worship you today
And sing the love amazing
that songs cannot repay;
For we can only wonder
at every gift you send,
At blessings without number
and mercies without end;
We lift our hearts before you
and wait upon your word,
We honor and adore you,
our great and mighty Lord.
The only thing we can do when God shows His “beyondness” over our weakness is to offer Him our thanks and praise in such a way that honors His wonderful name. Amen and Hallelujah!
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| 1 Perry, Michael. O God Beyond All Praising. Carol Stream, Illinois: Hope Publishing Co., 1982. |
