Shameless Bragging

“Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders
which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
they would be too numerous to count.”
~ Psalm 40:5

A friend I’ve recently met posed the teasing question not long ago, “You’re really into lists, huh?!” Still, this passage begs for a ‘recounting’ of God’s wonders:

...His ceaseless work
“‘My Father is always at His work’” (John 5:17);

…His deliverance from death
“‘…the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and… will live’” (John 5:25);

…His inexhaustible lovingkindness
“His compassions never fail” (Lamentations 3:22);

…His favor to those who wait upon Him
“…they have not heard… nor has the eye seen a God besides You, who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him” (Isaiah 64:4);

…His good will for sinful man
“...God demonstrates His love toward us… while we were yet sinners…” (Romans 5:8);

…His eternal desire toward us
“‘How can I give you up…? My heart is turned over within Me, all My compassions are kindled’” (Hosea 11:8);

…His sacrificial obedience
“…He existed in the form of God… but emptied Himself… becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8);

…His pure selflessness
“He did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all…” (Romans 8:32);

…His forgiveness
“For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself…” (Hebrews 12:3)

…His indescribable mercy
“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy…” (Titus 3:4);

…His rescue
“‘“Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!”’” (Luke 15:6);

…His fortifying provision
“‘…for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say’” (Luke 12:12);

…His sustaining presence
“‘Be strong… for the LORD your God is with you’” (Joshua 1:9);

…His long-suffering toward us
“…regard the patience of our Lord as salvation” (2 Peter 3:15);

…His perfect justice
“…the Lord is the avenger in all…things” (1 Thessalonians 4:6);

…His trustworthiness
“‘My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie…’” (Psalm 89:34-35);

…His majesty
“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth, who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!” (Psalm 8:1);

…His ability to transform all to good
“‘…you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good’” (Genesis 50:20);

…His unquestionable holiness
“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne…” (Psalm 89:14);

…His perseverance over us
“He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6);

…His refusal to relinquish us
“‘…no one will snatch them out of the Father’s hand’” (John 10:28);

…His omnipotence
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think… to Him be the glory…” (Ephesians 3:20-21);

…His unconditional love for us
“‘But love your enemies, and do good… expecting nothing in return…’” (Luke 6:35);

…His authorship of life
“The LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7);

…His power to mend
“…giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting” (Isaiah 61:3);

…His unmerited attention
“What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:4);

…His reveling over us
“He will exult over you with joy, He will quiet you in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy” (Zephaniah 3:17);

…His undertaking on our behalf
“The LORD will accomplish what concerns me” (Psalm 138:8);

…His safe haven
“For You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress” (Psalm 59:16);

…His desire for His creation
“You will call, and I will answer You; You will long for the work of Your hands” (Job 14:15);

…His utter purity
“God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5);

…His flawlessness
“As for God, His way is blameless” (Psalm 18:30; 2 Samuel 22:31);

…His exact fulfillment
“For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:9);

…His cleansing
“Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7);

…His sufficiency
“To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His Blood…” (Revelation 1:5);

…His omniscience
“For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…” (2 Chronicles 16:9);

…His longing to bless
“Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you” (Isaiah 30:18);

…His intimacy with His creatures
“For He knows the secrets of the heart” (Psalm 44:21);

…His constant leading
“…the LORD will continually guide you…” (Isaiah 58:11);

…His protection
“He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark” (Psalm 91:4);

…His faithfulness to complete all He has spoken
“‘…not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one has failed’” (Joshua 23:14);

…His dynamic interactions with us
“The LORD said to him, ‘I have heard your prayer and your supplication which you have made before Me…’” (1 Kings 9:3);

…His heartache over His wayward children
“‘How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling…’” (Matthew 23:37);

…His divine substitution
“…it does not depend on the man who wills… but on God who has mercy” (Romans 9:16);

…His tenderness toward us
“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4);

…His power to overcome sin
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12);

…His safe passage
“He led them safely, so that they did not fear” (Psalm 78:53);

…His assurance amidst discouragement
“You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched” (Psalm 68:9);

…His attentiveness to our neediness
“‘...for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things’” (Matthew 6:32);

…His taking us to Himself
“…He will receive me” (Psalm 49:15);

…His cure for our disease
“Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved” (Jeremiah 17:14);

…His relief for our hopelessness
“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17);

…His renewal
“Therefore repent and return, so that your sin may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19);

…His disbanding the hold of darkness
“‘…there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer’” (2 Kings 2:21);

…His liberation
“It was for freedom that Christ set us free…” (Galatians 5:1)

…His rendering us unafraid
“…perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18);

…His ordaining beyond what we hope
“…because God had provided something better for us…” (Hebrews 11:40);

…His fulfilling our longings
“You… satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Psalm 145:16);

…His infinite concern over us
“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand” (Psalm 139:17-18);

…His pleasure to be claimed by us
“‘…let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me…’” (Jeremiah 9:24)…

that we may cry out in the divine privilege,
‘He is our praise and He is our God, who has done these great and awesome things...’ (Deuteronomy 10:21)!