Ancient peoples believed each god’s influence was limited to a particular sphere. Remember how the Syrians wanted to battle Israel in the plains because they thought Yahweh was a God of the hills (1 Kings 20:23)? The Egyptians were no exception. Their pantheon had over 2000 gods: a sun god, a Nile god and so forth.

Yahweh taught that he is different. By releasing a wide variety of plagues, the Creator revealed he commands the water ways, living creatures, disease, the weather, light and even life itself. Furthermore, God geographically focused where the plagues would strike, as well as demonstrated that he could cease the plagues on command, “So that you may know that there is no one like the LORD” (Exodus 8:10).

So how big is our understanding of God? We readily accept God can forgive, inspire his prophets to give us his word, know the numbers of hairs on our head, and prepare heaven for us.

However, do we think our God can handle the things we worry about? Can we obey commands like, “don’t worry” (Matthew 6:25), because we trust promises like, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these things (food & clothing) will be given unto you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

Can we take Mark 10:29-30 at face value? Can God really give us peace? Or do we, like the ancients, limit what God can do?

God already has provided the evidence. We just need to obey and trust in the Creator.

Barry Newton