Psalm 105:5
“Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;”
If we were to have people describe the marvelous works of God, I imagine that most would think that these works are something good. We often equate the marvelous works of God as His blessings or miracles in our lives. That is what comes to mind when you think of God’s marvelous works.
God’s marvelous works are not always what we think of them to be. The word “marvellous” means, “Wonderful; strange; exciting wonder or some degree of surprise.” Each of these definitions truly defines God’s marvelous works.
In Psalm 105, God describes His marvelous works for Israel. When God defended Israel when they were small in number, this was the marvelous works of God. When God confirmed His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that was the marvelous works of God. When God gave Israel a vision of conquering the land of Canaan, that was the marvelous works of God. God’s marvelous works could be seen when He sent the ten plagues upon the land of Egypt. All of these are certainly what we would consider the marvelous works of God.
However, when God sent Joseph into slavery and into the prison cell, that was also His marvelous works. When Israel was in bondage to the Egyptian people, that was His marvelous works. When Israel became hated by the very people with whom they lived, this also was the marvelous works of God. The marvelous works of God were not just the good things that happened to Israel, but they were also the hardships that Israel faced so that God’s promise could be fulfilled. Without the hardships that Israel faced, God’s promises would not have been fulfilled and His marvelous works would not be marvelous.
What we often consider the hardships of life could very well be the marvelous works of God. We don’t know what God is doing through the hardships that we face, but we must trust that they are His marvelous works. When H.G. Spafford lost his children at sea, I’m sure he couldn’t see that as God’s marvelous works. Yet, today we know that this was God’s marvelous works as we sing the song, “It Is Well With My Soul.” The words of that song have blessed many Christians, but they were accomplished through the hardships of God’s marvelous works.
Friend, we all certainly enjoy the blessings and miracles of God’s marvelous works, but we must realize that the hardships He sends us through are also a part of His marvelous works. You can’t see the end result of the hardships of God’s marvelous works, but you must trust that God is simply fulfilling His Word through your life. The hardships that God sends us through are certainly a part of the marvelous works of God.
Let me encourage you not to look at your hardships as something bad. Look at them as God working through your life to show His power through you. If you will keep going, you will one day look back and be able to see that they were God’s marvelous works in your life. Certainly, while you endure hardships you can’t see them as marvelous works, but when it is all over and God’s Word has been fulfilled, you will then see that it was all a part of God’s plan to perform His marvelous works through your life.