Spoonful of Sugar: He Is Able to Save
My husband enjoys watching elite basketball players because he played basketball in junior college. He can appreciate, much more than I, the superior ability of these well-paid superstars.
Athletics isn’t the only skill we measure. We evaluate and rank intelligence, strength, musical talent, artistic skill, and hundreds of other talents and abilities. No one possesses superior talents in multiple fields and so when we see the exceptional we admire it, knowing we are all human, limited, finite.
One standard of excellence for basketball players is their vertical jump, measured in inches. Pro scouts and fans ooh and aah over such heights. Yet I find it actually laughable that we marvel at mere inches when compared to what God can do. He defies our lowly systems of measuring, scoring, and evaluating. His ability is, of course, infinite, unlimited, and beyond comprehension!
The Scriptures are full of passages that speak of God’s power. Jeremiah 32:17 says nothing is too difficult for the God who created the heavens and the earth. He can do anything He pleases (Psalm 115:3). When God told Sarah she would give birth to a son despite her advanced age (Genesis 18), she laughed! But God told her, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
God also explains His supernatural ability by compassionate action and offers of help to us. He tells us “He is able.”
There are a number of Scriptures that speak of the things God is able to do. Hebrews 7:25, for example, tells us, “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”
This is a verse we should all memorize. Jesus is described as “always” making intercession for those who draw near to God through Him. That means He prays for me, and He prays for you! And everyone who calls upon Him!
That’s a prayer list millions of names long. It’s a stunning truth I simply cannot grasp.
And even more than that, He reminds me He can save those who draw near to God. And He asks the Father that I might be drawn near. When I come, asking for saving help, He has the ability to give, rescue, and restore. Any spiritual ability to come to Him and receive help comes from Him, too. Jesus said, “... for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
We are totally unable to save ourselves. We are powerless. We are born sinful and self-centered, and that sin stains everything in our lives. How I thank God for the salvation He made possible through His Son Jesus Christ! Only He could do it.
He is able to save.
1. Take a few minutes to read Job 38 and write a list of all the things God is able to do that humans cannot.
2. Read Hebrews 7:25 again. What does it mean that God “is able to save to the uttermost?” What synonyms could you substitute for “uttermost” to help you understand that word?
3. Talk and think about what it means to “draw near to God.” How does that look in your life? Describe a time when you drew near to God and felt His presence in your life.
Use this FREE DOWNLOAD as a daily reminder with your family ... or tape it to a mirror or in your car!
What a wonderful encouragement to wake up to!