READ: Psalms 95-97
If we
are looking to get perspective on our position with God we need look no further
than Psalm 95. The first two verses tell us to come and sing, shout and thank
the Lord with music and song. One can’t help but ask: Why? What’s the big deal?
Why should we?
It
comes down to this basic truth: Because God is the Creator. Verse 5 tells us
the whole earth belongs to God because He made it. Even a kindergartner can
understand that! Small children naturally understand if a person makes
something, the creation belongs to the person who made it. No young child would
look at a play-doh sculpture he created and say it came out of nowhere, or want
to share the credit with a friend. Of course not! It would be ludicrous to that
child. And what child doesn’t want the recognition for his creation, no matter
how amateur? This simple logic transfers nicely: Everything belongs to God because
He made it. Simple. He wants the recognition for it as well. That’s why we
praise Him: Everything is His. He made it all. He wants credit for it.
Psalm
96:4-5 tells us there are gods in this world with no power. They deserve no
credit. We should not fear them. Why shouldn’t we fear them? The answer to this
question is actually aligned with what we saw in Psalm 95: They didn’t create
the world. It comes back to that Kindergarten logic: if they didn’t make it
they don’t own it. If they don’t own it, they don’t control it. If they don’t
control it, what is there to fear? Understanding the fullness of what it means
for God to be the Creator of the Universe is not even possible. However, the
closer we get the less allure other gods of the nations will have. These gods
of the nations may not always have been made from wood or stone or glass. Some
of them may in fact be gods slipping in through internet connections, bank
accounts, and time-wasting entertainment. 2 Timothy 3:4 says in the last days
many will trade Creator-God for the god of pleasure. One of the best ways to guard against
worshiping other gods is to follow the prescription of Psalm 96: “Ascribe to the Lord the glory and honour
due His name.”
Nearing
the end of Psalm 96 the Psalmist begins to name God’s creation: the heavens,
the earth, the sea and everything in it, the fields and all they contain, and
the trees. Everything is going to praise God and sing for joy, even these
‘objects’. When Jesus comes He will set everything right. Everything. Even
Creation. It will be quite a sight at the end of time when the world is finally
judged, to see rocks, trees and animals singing and praising God! That’s such a
hard thing to imagine, but it will be grand!
JOURNALING AND
PRAYER
1. Write down a list
of things God has made. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you ideas of things you
haven’t thought about recently. Ask God to give you a deep understanding of His
ownership of Creation. Spend time in thanksgiving.
2. Ask the Lord to
show you if there are any gods in your life. Ask Him if you fear Him more than
those gods. Confess this if He shows you anything. Ask the Lord to grow your
fear of Him and to keep your eyes sharp to see the gods of this age and to stay
far from them.
3. Write down some of
the things you have had to deal with in the last week that stem directly from
the effect of sin on this world. Now ask God to show you the truth of how
drastically things will change when He comes to set everything right on the
earth. Meditate on that powerful truth, journal it. Ask God to grow your faith,
hope and longing for His return and our eternal home in heaven.
