Worship music is powerful. When I first heard Vertical Church Band’s “Spirit of the Living God” a few months ago, I knew immediately that it had made a permanent impact on me. There are a few worship songs in the past that have done that—songs like Chris Tomlin’s “Good, Good, Father” and Kari Jobe’s “You Are For Me.”  Earlier it was Hillsong’s “Shout to the Lord” that held the top spot. Before that it was Keith Green’s “Make My Life A Prayer to You,” and Chuck Girard’s “Abba Father.” I even remember the impact “Oh My Jesus” by Ron Salisbury had on me as a teen.

Those were songs that I would listen to over and over, and sing in my mind all day long. I let them push me and move me toward a deeper personal relationship with Jesus. Everything in my life was touched by them—my prayers, my thoughts, my ideas, and even my vocabulary. “Spirit of the Living God” did that to me when I heard it.  As the wellspring of this blog post, it is echoing in my soul. I am especially fond of these lyrics in the chorus:

‘Cause when You speak. and when You move; 

When You do what only You can do

It changes us, it changes what we see, and what we seek.

I have mulled over the full meaning of those lyrics for some time now, and here is my take.  God, and God alone, is “placed above” and “set apart” from anyone or anything else, because there are some things that “only He can do.”

The lyrics are an awe-inspiring confession touching the heart of what worship truly is. Worship is not just singing about things that please God, but about things that set Him apart and celebrate WHO He is— and conversely, who we are not.

Today’s post is focused on three things that “Only God Can Do.” Not that there are only three, but the three hundred million other things that “only God can do” would take far too long to identify. That will gladly have to be reserved for eternity, where time will not be an issue. So here goes:

1. Only God Can Create. In Genesis 1:1 we read the words “God created.” In Hebrew “created” is the word, bara—meaning “something that has never existed before; something unique; one-of-a-kind.” God created everything out of nothing. He had absolutely nothing to work with.  And yet, look around. Doesn’t the majesty of His creation alone elevate Him to the highest place? And when I read, “If anyone is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation—the old has passed, the new has come,” I have to pause just to catch my breath, because what He is doing inside of me has never been done before! It’s unique. It’s one-of-a-kind. Wow!

2. Only God Can Be Omnipresent. Sorry to use that big theological word, but it is the best way to say it in a single word: God can be everywhere at the same time. I am especially in awe of what Jesus said in Matthew 18:20— “Wherever two or three are gathered in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Think about it. Two or three can meet together with Jesus in Alabama, and another two or three can meet with Him in Afghanistan—at exactly the same time. And He will hear ever prayer prayed, and answer each request made, and meet every need of each one present. Now multiply it times millions of simultaneous meetings all over the globe, and then try to wrap you brain around that! Oh, and it goes even deeper! The Bible also tells us that He numbers every hair on our head, and that He is aware of every sparrow that falls to the ground. The text literally says, “Not one {sparrow} falls to the ground without your Father {with it}.” (Matthew 10:29 literal rendering) All of that and He’s still not too busy to meet with us!  It’s no wonder that David said, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. I cannot comprehend it.” (Psalm 139:6)

3. Only God Can Work Something Good Out of Something Bad.  Think about this scientific fact: Hydrogen is highly flammable. Oxygen, although not flammable in itself, makes other things flammable.   Oxygen makes things ignite at a lower temperature, and burn hotter and faster. It is explosive. And yet, if two atoms of hydrogen unite with one atom of oxygen, what do we get?  Water.  Yes, water.  H2O.  The elixir of life.  And the very best antidote to fire. Two things that can be destructive, suddenly work together to be nourishing, healing, and life-giving.

Apply that principle to humanity.   Regardless of how miserable or how sinful, or how damaging or explosive, when the Spirit of God is allowed to work, “…all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”(Romans 8:28)   Only God can do that!    When I think of that, my HOPE rises, and my confidence in our God soars.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”     Matthew 19:26

When You come in the room,

When You do what only You can do

It changes us, it changes what we see, and what we seek.

It changes everything.