There are two readings for today.
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 99
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake. [Psalms 99:1]
When is the last time you trembled at the thought of God?
What place does fear or reverence have in your attitude towards God?
Have we gotten so comfortable with the idea of God’s love, that we forget that He also happens to be awesome, holy, more powerful and overwhelming that 1000 suns?
If people really understood this, what would that change in us, in the world?
Let them praise your great and awesome name– he is holy. [Psalms 99:2-3]
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. [Matthew 10:28]
Jesus is the face of God, the loving and merciful presence of God with us, Who calls us brothers and friends, and allows us to experience God in a loving, personal way.
But He does not negate or ignore the awesomeness of God, nor does He deny the place of proper fear and respect before God.
If we are going to afraid of anyone or anything, fear God, fear the One that holds the power of life and death, fear the God that created and sustains the universe, right down to the little sparrow and the hair on my head [see Matthew 10:29-31].
Years ago a small book was written called ‘Your God Is Too Small’.
The author contends that most people have a narrow, minimal view of God.
They pick on quality, and expand that, but ignore the rest.
It’s not that those individual qualities are not true to some extent, but that God cannot be reduced to those qualities… He is so much bigger, so much greater.
It’s like standing by the Grand Canyon, or the Ocean, or considering the vastness of Space; these phenomena cannot be reduced to a few qualities.
Big just does not do justice to the concept of space, and awesome or holy or majestic or loving, etc. do not do justice to the concept of God.
Worship is feeling the weight (the biblical word for ‘glory’ means weighty) of God’s greatness and goodness, and responding with a pathetic WOW.
When did you last tremble at the idea of God, or weep at the wonder of His love?
How about today?
Let them praise your great and awesome name– he is holy. [Psalms 99:2-3]
PRAYER:
Lord, the words ‘great’ and ‘good’ and ‘awesome’ and ‘merciful’ do not begin to capture how amazing You are. Grant me a taste of Your awesomeness today, and may I weep and tremble and marvel and worship before You!