Surpassing

Did you know that God surpasses all things and knowledge? He brings us help that surpasses where and what we are. Scripture often uses this word to tell us of who He is in our hearts. Starting with Psalm 138:2 we read “I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame.”  What a promise of God’s love and faithfulness even surpassing his fame. Isn’t it wonderful to know that God is faithful always?

In Proverbs 8:19 we are told that His fruit surpasses gold and silver or all precious things. What is His fruit, it is grace, mercy, peace, righteousness and compassion towards us for starters. It is the all-surpassing righteousness that by His grace allows us to go to heaven Matthew 5 tells us.

Paul tells the Ephesians in in 3:19 that this love of God in Christ surpasses knowledge and that He wants us to have it. He tells the Philippians that knowing Christ surpasses all greatness. He also tells them that the peace that surpasses all understanding is ours as we bring Him our prayers and petitions with thanksgiving in our hearts.

Psalm 150 admonishes us to praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Therefore Paul can tell the Corinthians that God’s all surpassing glory brings us His surpassing power in jars of clay. This seeming paradox says that in our weakness God’s power is made perfect and that when we are weak or contrite in spirit, He is strong. Paul tells us these things after he has been taken up to the third heaven where he experienced God’s “surpassing revelations.”  Many of these he shared even telling of the all-surpassing beauty of heaven and Jesus on His throne. We have His very great and precious promises, some 7,500 of them in Scripture as Peter reminds us.

These descriptions are of our Messiah and Lord who has come and shown us the way, the truth and the life through Him. We are nothing without Him, even though Proverbs 31:29 rejoices over a woman of noble character. The Epilogue describes a woman with traits like Christ Himself. This woman is described as surpassing all others.  It tells of the woman who fears the Lord as the key. And so it is for all of us. If we fear and follow the Lord and His precepts we too will be like Him and can do anything through Him who gives us strength (Philippians 4:12). However, without Him we can do and are nothing John15: 5 admonishs us.