Master of the universe - 16 October 2023

One of my cherished past-times as a young girl was sitting glued in front of the television watching a childhood favourite, the animated “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe”. The idea of superpowers enthralled me as a child, not unlike I think today’s obsession with the phenomenon of superheroes, especially those of the Marvel Studios stable.

A little bit older and introduced to the God of the Bible, I have come to realise who the real Master of the Universe is as unveiled for us bit by bit in the Word of God.

“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” (Psalm 33:6)

We discover a God of the impossible: a God able to save the lives of his servants when the odds are severely stacked against them through supernatural means.

I think of men like Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego who had made a stand for God only to find themselves at odds with the king. Miraculously, they were saved from certain death in a blazing furnace that had already claimed the lives of men who had bound them up in order to toss them in. Not even one hair was singed.

What about Daniel? Saved, as he was, from consumption by a den of lions when he was falsely accused by powerful men threatened by his position. Not a scratch was found on him – God had instructed angels to shut the mouths of the lions and supposedly allow Daniel some shut-eye.

Then we have Israel, saved from the mighty, marauding Egyptian army when the Red Sea was opened permitting safe passage on dry land and, ultimately, deliverance from Egypt’s best.

As the disciples of the New Testament bear witness, He is the One who tells the waves of the sea, “Quiet! Be Still!” (Mark 4:39) And the waves respond accordingly.

In the passage, John 1:1-3, mirroring Genesis 1:1, we rediscover the God who was able to create all of creation we see around us out of nothing. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

He is the One who became a baby to live among men: also the One who will come back roaring as the Lion of Judah one day surely vanquishing and avenging all his enemies in the process. “The Avengers” have nothing on him. As for the “Eternals” et al? The Word consistently reveals a God who is truly qualified to be called the unrivalled Master of the Universe for eternity.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that we are privileged to have the inerrant Word of God that leads us to and shows us how to trust in the Master of the Universe. Amen