How terrible are thou in Thy works, sounds like a terrible thing to say about God. To declare God’s works terrible in our world only means it must be disaster God caused by judgment, but scripturally it is a reverence to God and his work here. The fear of God and the reverence of God. When one thinks of the shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night and became afraid at seeing an angel it had to do with reverence in a since, but in another since they were shaking in their sandals if they had them on. The awe of God is not described usually with the word terrible in mind, in fact no one would say the appearance of angels in the Christmas story was terrible. It would not be the word used. Yet in this passage the word terrible in the since of reverence had to do with the work of parting of the red sea.

God’s handiwork is like something we can not describe if ever seen a miracle that changes the landscape for a time period only to have it put back when one finishes crossing the red sea, the sea then went back standing as it always had. In fact those trying to follow were trapped by that water, because of their desire to enslave the Hebrew people once more. Yet can you imagine that day what it would be like to have your world as you know it changed by act of God. The very act of crossing the red sea and seeing your slave drivers destroyed, would be an awesome and terrible sight.

To see the hand of God do mighty works was not enough to keep Israel inline, but enough to bring about praising God for his mighty acts. As a believer I have learned to be careful what you ask God for. Yet when you ask, ask expecting, never knowing how God will handle the request. If you pray for strength, make sure you specific on whether it is physical or spiritual you need or both. Or ask God to give you whatever it is you need, He knows best. The move of God in Hebrew Children’s life was such to bring them to a place of rejoicing but not yet following in all the ways of God. After all they still had to bow to the golden calf. Yet God had not told them yet not to bow to another god. In fact that was why He engraved in stone his laws. Yet some would say they were not on time, and yet it perhaps was proof Hebrew children after all the wonders, had not fully grasp the power of the God they served, without their leaders there. They learned to fear Moses the man who those miracles came from, but not the one that allowed the miracles to happen. Upon seeing Moses come off that mountain the camp got into order quick, even down to destroying anyone that would not follow the law of God.

Mismanaging our fear to fear not God but man is one of the things we have to learn. To go through water and fire of God is awesome thing. It is the teaching of the Holy Spirit of who He is, as in the days of Moses and the days of Christ in the flesh. The fear of God because of who he is, is to know you nothing but the size of ant to God, but at the same time precious to God as a sparrow is. So precious he knows the number of hairs on our head. Until you experience God in such away to know his power is real, you can not grasp who to turn too in your hour of need, want, and temptation.

To feel the power of God is not the same as knowing the power of God by the demonstration of his fury and the demonstration of his love. The first act as Christians we grasp is the cross an act of love. Yet the Christmas story that is told is the sign of the simplicity of God’s love. The simplicity in the since of infant full of grace and truth at is most innocent form. Yet God’s love would become terrible when one thinks of the road to the cross and then the nails in the hand and spear in his side.

Let us rejoice for Christmas is coming, let us sing praises to our God for his mighty works and his terrible works that bring about faith in him. Let Christmas inspire faith and grow as we head toward the cross. It takes faith and experience with God to know his will and his ways. To know the power of his protection from the enemy and the burial of our sins. Can one pray with unclean heart that will not allow God to remove the guilt and sin? God only hears the prayers of repentance and the prayers of his saints. If you know He hears you because He gave you answer to prayer rejoice, because your name is written down in the book of life because you believed in Jesus and sealed by His Spirit.

Dear Heavenly Father you are awesome and terrible in your works of salvation. Yet your works are demonstration of all you do for us daily. Help us to rejoice in your power this Christmas. In Jesus precious name, Amen.