How great is our God!
All four passages today either revolve around or are related to the greatness of our God. Psalm 104 is a celebration of creation – both the process of it and the results of it.
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul.
O LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for man to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:15 wine that gladdens the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine,
and bread that sustains his heart.24 How many are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures. (Psalm 104:1,13-15, 24)
The Psalmist beautifully describes how everything just fits together so well, the perfect rhthym of the rising and setting sun, the phases of the moon and the seasons, the variety of plants and animals, the provision of food and water.
6 “This is what the LORD says—
Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
apart from me there is no God.24 “This is what the LORD says—
your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:
I am the LORD,
who has made all things,
who alone stretched out the heavens,
who spread out the earth by myself,25 who foils the signs of false prophets
and makes fools of diviners,
who overthrows the learning of the wise
and turns it into nonsense. (Isaiah 44:6, 24-25)
Isaiah contrasts those who know the true God and those who do not. He speaks of the idols created by those who do not understand. He points out the folly of creating something and then worshipping it.
In Deuteronomy Moses lays out some very serious consequences for worshipping other gods: death.
In Revelation we see consequences of worshipping the beast and his image: drink the wine of God’s wrath and be tormented with burning sulfur.
There’s no doubt about it. We have an awesome God. And we have an opportunity to celebrate it, embrace it, enjoy the beauty and fullness of creation, and “sing a new song” for all eternity. Or we can close our eyes and our minds, fail to “stop to think”, miss it all, and worship the works of our own hands.
Lord, I choose life! When I ponder the majesty of your creation, the way everything fits together so wonderfully, words cannot describe my amazement. Help me to slow down more, to “stop and think”, because I don’t want to miss the joy you want to give to your children.
Sue
Sixty-six books in a year 