Is Your God Omnipotent?

So I finally watched the season finale of survivor (no cable and no satellite always puts me a little behind).  This season what was especially interesting for me, as a Christian, was to see Matt going through so much and being so open about his relationship with God.  I suppose everybody who watches survivor really relates to a particular individual at one time or another.

I started reading Jeff Probst’s blog about Survivor soon after Matt was sent to Redemption Island.  At that time, there was a lot of footage shown of Matt praying and of him talking about God’s will.  On one of Jeff’s blogs, an atheist commented that, if there were such a being, God would have more important things to do than worry about how well this kid does on Survivor.  I wasn’t at all surprised to see that kind of statement from an atheist.

What did surprise me is that some Christians were saying the same thing.  It was surprising to see it on commentary by Christians.  But it was a shock to hear someone I know say, “God doesn’t care how Matt does on Survivor!”  Really?  What immediately came to my mind were all the contractors with their vans and ads that shout out, “No Job Is Too Big Or Too Small!”

If you believe that about your plumber,

how can you not believe that about your God?

It didn’t make sense to me.  I personally don’t believe that there is anything beneath His notice.  My God is omnipotent.  He is not subjected to our limitations.  He is, in fact, beyond limitation.  He is everywhere at every moment.  He can do anything.  There’s nothing too small for his attention, in my life or in anybody else’s life. 

We must not limit our view of God.

We can’t put Him in the boxes we create for ourselves.

Let’s look at the bigger picture, beyond God working every day in Matt’s life (no matter where Matt is or what he happens to be doing).  There was so much more going on there, beyond the game of Survivor.  Bigger than the game of Survivor.  Matt was going through a situation that tested him, and he repeatedly provided a true example of Faith to the millions of people who watch that show.  Believers and non-believers alike were seeing it and reacting to it and commenting on it. 

As an example from my own life, I was questioning the role of prayer.  We had read John 14:13 in my bible study, and I really was trying to wrap my mind around prayer without selfishness – prayer that glorifies God.  That was Monday.  On Wednesday, there was Matt praying for God to be with him and Krista during the duel…and for whoever wins, let it be to glorify God’s name.  That was the example I needed.  Maybe it’s just the right time, the period that I’m going through right now in my faith.  Maybe that’s what makes it so dramatic for me, so compelling.  It has had such an impact for me, not simply as a viewer, but in my actual life.

I thought that, and then I thought, “God doesn’t just work in mysterious ways; he works in a perfect way.”  He works in ways that are bigger than us, than what we are capable of understanding and even imagining.  And He works in ways that are minute and specific.  All at the same time.

He can do that.  He’s God.

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* Thank you so much to Reverend Baker, who allowed me to take these pictures of their new building.  Also, thank you to Walter, who was also very kind to me.  They were both very nice and very generous with their time.

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Item of Interest:

Jeff Probst’s Survivor blog 

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