God's Omnipotence

Day 10 Doxology: Before I begin, let me remind you how great it is to be married to history teacher.  I get watch manly-type programs on The History Channel without the threat of a wife's nagging insistance to watch the Home Shopping Network or Cupcake Wars -completely stereotyping wives with apologies!

Tonight the American Heroes Channel made me pause and think about a story in the Bible.  In Acts 5, a man named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, stood before the Sanhedrin and advised.  He said this, "Men of Israel consider carefully what you intend to do with these men..."  He was advocating the release of Peter and the other apostles.  He goes on to say, "Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

The Rhine River played a huge role in WWII. As Nazi Germany retreated back across the Rhine, they would blow up each bridge to delay the Allied forces advancements.  The last bridge standing toward the end of the war was the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen.  The German Army had the bridge wired with explosives -a primary system and a backup system.  Both systems failed to destroy the bridge and to the amazement of the American soldiers it was still standing.  I promise, I'm getting to my point!


After the two systems failed to destroy the bridge the German Army decided to use their weaponry to achieve their goal. Their largest canon was called Karl-Gerät 040 -simply called The Karl (nickname Thor). They hurled 11 shots at the bridge and missed all 11 times before the canon malfunctioned and became inoperable. The Bridge was still standing.


Next Germany launched the A-4 (The worlds first long-range guided ballistic missile) at the Ludendorff Bridge, but the bridge is still standing.  This rocket missile was incredible.  It reach an altitude of 108 miles delivering 2010 lbs of explosives and had a range of over 200 miles.  they hurled 7 of these advanced weapons at the bridge and missed each time.  Just in case you've gotten bogged down...that's 2 demolition systems; air raids from the most advance jet bomber; the 11 shots from Karl; 11 long-range guided ballistic missiles; demolition frogmen...and the bridge is still standing.  Why?

The intact bridged stood for 10 days longer than it should have.  It was the means for over 25,000 soldiers and machinery -8,000 the first 10 hours- to pour onto the west bank of the city of Remagen then in pursuit of the retreating Germany army.   It's almost as if God was parting the Red Sea yet again.  My thoughts are simple...God is huge!  His power is mighty!  And, why would we ever doubt his omnipotence?  Other thoughts are equally as simple...it appears that God used the Allied forces to remove the evil that threatened God's people through genocide.  I guess only questions remain...today are we on the side of man or God?  We would be wise if we remember Gamaliel's advice, "For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." I want to be on the side of God...that's where miracles happens!