The word “great” is a simple, and often over-used and under-appreciated word. But how fitting an adjective to describe everything about God! His name is great. His salvation is great. His love is great. His mercy is great. His justice is great. His glory is great. His patience is great. His power is great. His knowledge is great. His creation is great. His majesty is great. On and on we could go with every one of His attributes. Think of applying that descriptive word to the Westminster Shorter Catechism’s classic definition of God in question number 4. “God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.” Great wisdom, great power, great holiness, great justice, etc.
Our world and our everyday lives are filled with so many things that are ordinary, mundane, and anything but great. These range from having the same thing for breakfast each morning to having mail delivered to our front yard each day. And not only that, we too often look at truly great things without recognizing just how great they actually are. What about how great it is that there are a dozen different kinds of ice cream at the supermarket. Or that we can drive just a few minutes to get gasoline for our car (even if it has grown much more expensive in the last few years!). Or that we have access to the finest health care in the world, and insurance to pay for it. All of this is because of the greatness of God’s mercy toward us.