The God Who Has Never Left His Throne

There are two types of people in this world – those who like the window seat in an airplane and those who do not.

My classification is the former. I love the window. 

From takeoff, adventure begins with the thrill of soaring above the city. I try to pinpoint landmarks, water, anything that may be familiar or interesting. As the plane continues to ascend, I marvel while passing through the clouds and dream of wonders beyond our planet. I look for the sun, straining around other passengers, if necessary. And the times I’ve seen a sunrise? I could stay lost in it all day. 

On one particular flight, I found myself admiring the sun and endless array of shining cloud cover. If only I could nap on the white fluffy beds like I always imagined as a kid. Instead my daydream was interrupted by the flight attendant announcing our descent, and soon after, my dreams shattered entirely as my glorious view washed into the threatening shadows of a storm.

The plane grew dark like the skies that were now above us, and I thought to myself, no one down below would know just how beautiful it is above the storm. When all you see are clouds, you can be tempted to forget the sun is even shining. 

I wonder if this is how we see our world sometimes. Is it only darkness? Only clouds? 

But like the sun doesn’t cease on a rainy day, the King of the universe never stops ruling in the darkness. We may not understand the suffering and devastation around us, but we can be sure God is in control, and he forever will be. 

In Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae, he writes, “For by (Christ) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together,” (Colossians 1:16-17). Everything we see and everything we can’t see – it was all created by God, through the Son. There is no rule, no reign, no created order that holds more power than the Creator himself.

Because there is no greater power, God is never worried. In Genesis 1, when his Spirit is hovering over the chaos of the waters, the original Hebrew conveys a sense of being relaxed. God wasn’t trying to figure out what he would do, if he could do anything. Instead, we watch as he commands the chaos to order. He speaks light to darkness. He plants a garden in the wilderness. He is both purposeful and powerful over the very things that scare us. And his ability is never compromised.

God is the source of power and life himself. He is all-sufficient, and he doesn’t rely on anything, Like a river continually flowing, his power, compassion, love, mercy, goodness… is all forever flowing. Freely giving forth. Coming to save and defend his people. 

We see the pinnacle of this at the cross: an innocent man dying a brutal, public, prisoner’s death. Perhaps we’re tempted to echo the words of the religious elite and cry out for immediate relief, “let him come down now from the cross and we will believe him” (Matthew 27:42). Maybe we look up and despair, are we sure he’s got this? All we see are clouds, darkness, death. 

Until the resurrection. Light illuminates the grieving hearts. Life is brought forth from a grave. And an eternal order is offered to the people who had been living in chaos.

The throne had never been up for the taking. The victor of the great battle had never been in question. The game was rigged from the start. From beginning to end, Alpha to Omega, A to Z, there has only been one God. One authority. One source. His reign will never end.

Where I live, we have certain seasons, in particular, where storms pop up regularly and shadow the full span of previously blue sky. But I know – the sun will come back out. I’ve seen it from above and below. 

When we look back at the cross, it’s like admiring the sun, passing through the clouds, and looking up to a storm. We know what’s behind it all. We know how the story ends.

Such also is our perspective when we look to eternity. 

We know our God is greatest. His power is highest. Everything has come from him, and everything will surrender glory to his name. It’s only a matter of time before our storms pass and the radiance of the Son overwhelms us, forever, never to be shadowed again.

---

Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. – Deuteronomy 6:4

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. – Revelation 21:22-23

The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended. – Isaiah 60:19-20

So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. – Isaiah 55:11

For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another. – Isaiah 48:11

---

Related: The God who is with us. Always. – Soaking in the Son
Get down now – Soaking in the Son