The Amazing God by Horace Williams Jr.

Chapter One ...

Experience the Unfathomable Greatness of God

May I introduce you to the God I love—the Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, and Master of all the universe?  Many people are quick to dismiss the idea that there even  is a God. They have various reasons for refusing to acknowledge a  divine being who comforts them and allows them to live the way they  choose. Others attempt to create gods in their own images, which  is dangerous because they put expectations or limitations on these  made-up deities. However, no human being can fully comprehend  the one true God we encounter in the pages of Scripture. This God,  who created and controls everything, answers to no one.

Here’s our first glimpse of Him in the Bible:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  And the earth was formless and desolate emptiness, and  darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit  of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then  God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from  the darkness. (Genesis 1:1–4)

This passage introduces us to Almighty God, the triune God (also  known as the Trinity). The definition of triune is three in one,  constituting a trinity in unity, as in the Godhead. God the Father,  the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit make up the Godhead. Instead of  one plus one plus one equals three, think of it as one times one times  one equals One. All three members of the Trinity are equal in their  unique roles, making one magnificent, almighty God.

According to Genesis 1:1–4, God created the heavens and the earth  by speaking. The Holy Spirit moved over the surface of the planet  during this process. A few verses later, we learn God made every  living creature that walks, crawls, swims, and flies on the earth (even  the little creepy crawlers). He created trees, plant life, vegetation,  and all the beautiful flowers on land and sea. Finally, He created the  first person.

Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image,  according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of  the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock  and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that  crawls on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the “Us” to whom this verse refers. But  let me share something from the New Testament about God the Son’s  (Jesus’) role in creating the world:

These breathtaking images of nature prompted my late father to  seek a personal relationship with their Creator. As a young man, he  struggled mightily with alcohol. He served his country in the United States Army, but something was missing. Standing at the kitchen  sink, looking out the window and seeing the majestic snow-capped  mountains, Dad said, “There must be a God!” He went straightaway  and found my mother’s Bible, began reading the Gospel of John, and  gave his heart to Jesus.  He could then join the Old Testament prophet in proclaiming, “Oh,  Lord GOD! Behold, You Yourself have made the heavens and the  earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing  is too difficult for you” (Jeremiah 32:17).

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and  transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom  we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image  of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation:

for by Him all  things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible  and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or  authorities—all things have been created through Him and  for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold  together. (Colossians 1:13–17, emphasis added)

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My explanation of the Trinity barely skims the surface of God’s  greatness, of course. As one God with three distinct roles,  Almighty  God works together to strengthen, support, and grow His relationship  with each of His children. If you’re still unsure about His greatness,  look outside at nature all around you. The sun and moon rise and set  every day at the perfect time worldwide. Innumerable stars shine in  countless galaxies, each created by God. As this psalm puts it, “The  heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship.  Day after day, they continue to speak; night after night, they make  Him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is  never heard” (Psalm 19:1–3 NLT).

Although I don’t want to assume everyone reading this book is familiar  with David’s beautiful psalm about God as the Good Shepherd, I  personally hold Psalm 23 near to my heart. In times of anxiety, fear,  and stress, I often recite these verses to myself. They give me such  peace that I have committed them to memory. Here is the version I  love most:

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me  to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still  waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of  righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk  through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no  evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they  comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence  of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs  over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the  days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23 NKJV)

I mentioned my dad realized something was missing in his life. Alcohol  didn’t fill that hole, and a successful military career hadn’t come close  to fulfilling him. Here’s what I want you to remember: You cannot  claim the Good Shepherd without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Stated differently, you will never fully experience the divine attributes  of Almighty God until you ask Jesus into your heart.

I’m not writing this to be mean or harsh because my heart hurts deeply  for dear friends, family members, and anyone else who has chosen  not to follow Jesus and surrender their hearts to Him. It’s not just  my opinion, either; Jesus expressed the same truth to His disciples: “I  am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father  except through Me” (John 14:6).

It seems clear to me. If you want to experience God’s divine attributes,  ensure your place in heaven someday, and have an intimate relationship  with Almighty God, you need Jesus. There are no ifs, ands, or buts  about it.

Now that I’ve addressed that, let’s talk about what God’s greatness  does for you. First, though, I want to clarify something. Before you  can experience the “shepherding” of God’s greatness, there must be a  surrender. Just knowing about God is not enough. It’s about your heart.  God’s greatness is not always displayed in some noisy, dramatic way,  like with Moses and the parting of the Red Sea. Often, in the peaceful  comfort of a gentle whisper, you can experience the greatness of God’s  power just like my dad did.

Even though he was an unbeliever, his heart was ready to sit by  quiet waters and rest in beautiful green pastures. God redeemed his  soul, and I am confident we will worship Almighty God together in  heaven someday.

How Believers Benefit from God’s Shepherding

If your heart belongs to Jesus, you also can and will experience the  greatness of God, the Good Shepherd. As Psalm 23:3 assures us,  the Shepherd restores souls and leads His followers in the paths of  righteousness for His name’s sake.

The marvelous thing about God is that He never leaves or forgets  any of His children (sheep). He constantly desires to guide us on our  journey for our benefit and His glory. When it feels like the Shepherd  has forgotten about us or moved on to something or someone else,  it’s usually the sheep that have wandered away from His intended  path. But know this: the Shepherd will do everything in His power to return wayward sheep to His fold. Jesus emphasized this commitment  when speaking with His disciples:

What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and  one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine  on the mountains, and go search for the one that is lost?  And if it turns out that He finds it, truly I say to you, he  rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that have  not gone astray. (Matthew 18:12–13)

The Good Shepherd is determined to guide His sheep on the intended  path for their journey. However, sheep are prone to wandering and are  defenseless against enemy predators. Their helplessness makes sheep  highly vulnerable. Thankfully, the Good Shepherd fends off attackers  with a rod and uses the crook of His shepherd’s staff to return us to  the right path when necessary.

Be warned, though. The Good Shepherd also must discipline the sheep  when our wandering becomes habitual. Discipline is often painful,  and no one enjoys it. I believe this is why people tend to become  angry with God or choose to dismiss His existence. They don’t want  to believe in a God who would allow harm or pain into someone’s life.

But friend, what kind of Shepherd would God be if He let His sheep  do whatever or go wherever they wanted? He wouldn’t be a good God,  that’s for sure! I’ll admit it—I have lived as a wayward sheep before.  In the years leading up to my stroke in 2010, I convinced myself that  following God’s path was boring, that I needed to “follow me” and  walk my own path. Boy, I was wrong about that!

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The greatness of God is that many of our desires result from the  seeds He plants within our hearts. And isn’t it wonderful when  talented believers rise to places of prominence and give Him credit  for their success?  For example, God has blessed numerous celebrities, athletes, and  famous leaders with the opportunity to fulfill their dreams and still  bring honor and glory to Him. One of my all-time favorite Christian  athletes is Stephen Curry of National Basketball Association’s Golden  State Warriors. He is a four-time NBA champion, a ten-time NBA  all-star, and a two-time scoring champion. He holds the record for  the most three-point shots in NBA history, and he also won a gold  medal in the 2024 Olympics with the USA men’s basketball team. Here is what Stephen says about his relationship with God: “My  purpose is to glorify God in everything I do. And so when I step on  the floor, people can see God through my actions.”

Another outstanding Christian athlete who has captured my heart and  continues to inspire my relationship with God is Sydney McLaugh lin-Levrone. She is a United States Olympian and world record holder  in the 400-meter hurdles. Decades ago, I ran track in high school.  I enjoyed running the 200-meter race because I excelled at running  the curve on the track. I respect anyone who can run an entire lap  while jumping over ten three-foot hurdles, but Sydney takes it to a  whole new level! Sydney also is quite humble despite all her success (which includes  shattering her own world record more than five times). For example,  her humility and infectious love for the Lord were on clear display  after she won a gold medal and set a world record at the 2020 Summer  Olympics in Tokyo.

“I no longer run for self-recognition but to reflect  His perfect will already set in stone,” she said. “I don’t deserve anything.  But by grace, through faith, Jesus has given me everything. Records  come and go. The glory of God is eternal. Thank You, Father.”

Most of us won’t win Olympic gold medals or NBA championships.  But everyone’s life story is unique, marked by tremendous highs,  challenges, unexpected setbacks, and painful circumstances. And  yet, God’s greatness puts everything in perspective when you see  each aspect of your life through His eyes. It can change outlooks and  transform hearts, regardless of your story.

This happened to Moses, the man God chose to lead the millions of  Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, as the following words indicate:  

“Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and  Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who  can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?” (Deuteronomy 3:24)

Moses was conversing—no, pleading—with God about his not being  allowed to enter the Promised Land due to his sin of disobedience.  Sometimes, these attributes of God can be hard to believe, and we  may struggle to understand what is happening. But I encourage you  to embrace them, and when you experience them, to thank God for  welcoming you into His flock.

As for me, it was years before I paid attention to the greatness of  Almighty God. For decades, I lived as a prodigal son, doing my best to  escape God and His plans for my life. Thankfully, the Good Shepherd  has been extremely patient with me. By His amazing grace, it’s now  a blessing to have opportunities to encourage readers and fellow  sisters and brothers in Christ like you, often by using direct quotes  from scripture:

“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and  by the breath of His mouth all their lights. He gathers the waters of  the sea together as a heap; He puts the depths in storehouses. Let all  the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe  of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood  firm” (Psalm 33:6–9, emphasis added).

It often takes the changing of circumstances to get our attention,  doesn’t it? How do you see God right now? Does He seem like judge,  jury, and executioner? Or do you think He is off somewhere far away  with no time or interest in your daily affairs? Neither could be further  from the truth. God is not just the Man Upstairs or the Big Guy in  heaven. No, the God I’m writing about is sovereign. He has supreme  power and authority over all things, including every detail of your life.

God reveals Himself to His sheep in unique, personal ways. To the  individual who’s been sick or maybe has recovered from illness, He’s  the Great Healer. To someone who has fallen on hard financial times,  He’s the Great Provider. To the prisoner or someone with a checkered  past, He’s the God of tremendous grace. These are not just abstract  concepts but personal experiences. I want to help you focus on what  you know, not what you feel. I often reference scripture because God’s  Word is truth, a testament to our relationship with Him.

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the  earth, You who have displayed Your splendor above the  heavens! … When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set  in place; what is man that You think of Him, and a son of  man that You are concerned about him? (Psalm 8:1, 3–4)

The late Billy Graham described God’s greatness like this: “There is no  limit to God. There is no limit to His wisdom. There is no limit to His  power. There is no limit to his love. There is no limit to His mercy.”

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Before reading any further, take a moment and ask yourself, “Have  I been limiting God in my mind and with my actions?” Rather than  chastise or demean you, I hope to encourage and inspire you to see  God for who He is. I want you to embrace God’s greatness, not in fear  but in reverential awe of the Father who has adopted you into His  family—the Savior who chooses to shepherd you and cares immensely  for you.

If you genuinely desire to experience God’s greatness, I urge you to  reflect on your relationship with Him. Remember His true nature and  that nothing in your life is a coincidence. Don’t let past experiences  with fallen individuals and current circumstances distort your view  of Almighty God. Take a moment to reflect; you will find a deeper  connection with Him.

Prepare your heart and mind for His plans for you. Every day is a  new day. The Creator of the Universe has chosen you for a purpose  uniquely crafted for you. Recognize His greatness, humble yourself,  and have a willing heart. Then God will see you are ready to fulfill  His purpose. Now let’s discuss more of His divine attributes you can  experience as you seek to live for Him.

Copyright © 2025 by Horace Williams Jr.