PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Psalm 48
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“In the city of our God: God makes her secure forever.” (Psalm 48:8)
God provided the temple in Jerusalem as a symbol, to remind the people God is with them.
This song celebrates the beauty of that symbol, and God’s power in it.
But there is still a difference between the symbol and the real thing.
And sometimes we get distracted by the symbol, and forget the real thing.
When the disciples marvel at the beauty of the temple, Jesus warns them:
“Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Mark 13:2)
The temple had become an idol, and a den of robbers (Mark 11:17).
How about the symbols that are an expression of our faith?
The church building, worship music, doing devotions, Lord’s Supper, baptism?
Do we cling to (and fight over) the symbols, and forget what they point to?
Are we still experiencing the reality, even when this pandemic is keeping us away?
The symbols are not secure forever, but what they point to is!
Stop focusing on the symbols, and passing these to the next generation.
Meditate on God, Jesus and their love, for this makes us secure forever!
PRAYER
Lord, the physical temple is gone, but you live in me and I am your temple. Help me to trust in you, for you are my God for ever and ever, you will be my guide even to the end!
To be secure – in the city of our God – we may look up and around and within – and see the greatness of God’s creative hand! We may look at outward structures of fortification – but the real security is within. Jesus in my temple – like Jesus in my boat – I need not fear – I can be strong even though outwardly weak!
Praise be to the Lord!
‘Tell the next generation that this is God.’
He is my Guide.
He is my God.
By my words and deeds my children need to see I am His and He is mine.
No greater joy is there that they too walk in His ‘SonShine’ serving Him each day.
God the Father, God of glory,
miracles, and mystery;
generations all adore him,
God the same through history.
Chorus
Parents, tell your children, age to age the same.
Glorify the living Lord above,
magnify his holy name,
magnify his holy name.
Verse 2
Lift the fallen, feed the hungry;
God provides for everything.
He is fair and full of kindness,
saving those who call him King.