Breaking Out

“In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her” Judges 7:2

Our church has just completed a month long campaign to raise both awareness and funds for the purchase of a home for victims of sex trafficking in our area.  The financial challenge for our church was set at $125,000 with a miracle challenge of $150.000.  There were host desserts in the homes of some of the families, while many board members spoke on behalf of this cause to our Life Groups.  During the month we had speakers and our minister wove the challenge into a series of four sermons.    There was great emphasis on the ‘miracle challenge’ which makes me giggle under my breath.

We always seem to think we know what a miracle looks like.  We seem to place God in a box thinking we are aware of His mighty abilities and miraculous workings.  But all too often, as in this case, we sell God short and limit Him to our interpretation of what a miracle may look like.  In this case, we were so off the mark as He brought in an excess of $388,000 to go to this important cause.  I am well aware God always goes bigger and different than man’s determination.  I believe that God’s ways are unique and over the top to avoid man taking credit for the results, and snatching the glory away from God.  This obscene amount comes from an infinite God whose resources will never run dry since all things belong to Him.  We diminish God through our diminished beliefs in who He is and what He can do. 

God is at work all around us and has been since before the creation.  His eyes scan the earth and see the needs of those needing to be rescued.  He then puts into place His divine plan and invites us to join Him.  King David understood that God was more than a God who operated within his box, his impressions and his determination.  Upon being victorious against the Philistines with God at the helm, David named that place of victory Baal Perazim.  Baal Perazim means ‘the Lord breaks out.’

Last Sunday, as we sat in the sanctuary awaiting the results of the campaign, we experienced our own Baal Perazim.  Through God’s spirit connecting the hearts of our church to His cause, His plans and His purposes we experienced God as He broke out of the limited box for which we had placed him.  I don’t believe our church will ever be the same and we are humbled by the greatness of our God beyond anything we have witnessed corporately.  When you think of God, think greater…think higher…think grander…think infinitely and be blessed by our Eph. 3:20-21 experience.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen.”