“Behold Your God!”

July 1, 2010

Eddie Encouragement, God is Sovereign, God's Power, Hope, Perspective, Protection, Rescue Leave a comment

Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isa. 40:9-11, ESV)

God’s creation is steeped with the declaration of His existence and His greatness.  In God’s special revelation to us in His Word, we read in our passage today about Isaiah’s admonition to the inhabitants of Jerusalem  go to a high mountain and proclaim “Behold your God!”

In our language we never employ this term to get someone’s attention.  We exclaim:  “Here! There!  Look! Now!  The cry goes out “Look!  Your God!!”  Isaiah says to look to God and then he supplies the reasons we should:

  • He comes with might
  • His arm rules for him
  • His reward is with him
  • His recompense (pay off) is before him.
  • He will be a shepherd to his flock
  • He will gather them in his arms and carry them next to his heart
  • He will gently lead those that are with young (tender!)

When troubles come.  When you get blind-sided (“I didn’t see that coming!”). Friend, “Behold your God!”

Meditating on God’s Wonderful Works

June 26, 2010

Eddie Forgiveness, Meditational Moments, Perspective, Praise & Thankfulness, Sins, Worship Leave a comment

4 One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. (Psalm 145)

(vv. 4-5) - How important it is to share with our children how the Lord has worked in our lives even while we were growing up.  (See vs. 12; Isa. 38:19; Deut. 11:18-21).  See that child with wide eyes of wonder hearing the stories of God’s faithfulness in answered prayer, deliverance from troubles, stumping the doctors, financial needs being met, etc.

Meditate/meditation occurs 19 times in Psalms.  I have been blessed so many times as I take a passage and turn it over in my mind (with no external distractions) and consider its application in my life.  It becomes a means for the Spirit to speak to my heart. In our current passage, one example of meditation is “on the glorious splendor of your majesty” (v. 5).

The example I think of when I consider the glorious splendor of God’s majesty is what Isaiah (Isa. 6:1-6) and what John (Rev.4).  Words cannot describe the full splendor of it all.  Yet it is helpful for us to try.

The Psalmist also meditated continually on God’s wondrous works.  These could be in general through nature, history or humanity.  They could also be in his own personal life.  Just remembering and thinking back over how God has worked in our lives.  How he worked in and through a particular event in history or in His creation.

So, what are the benefits of this meditation in our lives?  First, it should spawn the same response as it did Isaiah.   “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”  It is good to see my sinfulness; my helplessness and the condition of my culture!  Secondly, I recognize the One who is there and delights to help me. To Him I turn for forgiveness and deliverance.  When I meditate on His majesty and His works, my God becomes larger than any problem I have in my life!

“Change!” – Not God!

March 19, 2009

Eddie God as Creator, God is Sovereign, Perspective Leave a comment

 

Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth
and made the heavens with your hands.
They will perish, but you remain forever;
they will wear out like old clothing.
You will change them like a garment
and discard them.
But you are always the same;
you will live forever.    Ps 102:25-27seasons3
In less than 24 hours from the time I am writing this, spring arrives.  It can be calculated years in advance.  Recall it is determined by the tilt of the earth.  The point is that God set it in motion.  Time was created that first week (day four).  So our years, seasons, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds are determined by either the earth’s rotation on its axis or revolution around the sun. 
Now this isn’t intented to be a science lesson, rather a reflection — on what the Psalmist reminds us:  God, who put all this into motion will disassemble it one day.  It will wear out and perish.  But, the One who set it into motion never changes.  It’s call immutable.
“Change” has been talked about in the news a lot over the last 12 months.  I rejoice because the One I read about in His Word will “remain forever,” is “always the same,”  and “will live forever!”
The elements that make up life may change – eventually will end, but You, Lord, remain forever!  Amen!!

Why Should I Be Afraid?

February 26, 2009

Eddie Fear, Perspective, Promises 1 Comment

 But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.  I praise God for what he has promised.  I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?  What can mere mortals do to me? – Ps 56:3-4

A tremendous passage of assurance!  Here’s why:  In the previous verses, the writer says his enemies “hound” (NLT) him.  My how true that is at times!  Sometimes life just hounds us!  Whatever it might be…when I am afraid (not “if”, for we WILL have rounds of fear from time to time) , I will put my trust (confidence) in the Lord.  How does the writer have that resolve when he is afraid?  I believe it is because of the next statement:  I praise God for what he has promised.  Those promises are found in His Word.  Go treasure hunting for some gold nuggets just for you!  treasure

With God’s promises firmly in mind, the writer makes the bold statement, I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?  What can mere mortals do to me?   I realize that my enemies, (be it “life”,  work, health, thieves, government, etc.) can do nothing to me unless God gives the permission.  What if He does?  I still trust Him because He has allowed it for my good and His glory!  It is always a win-win situation!  The difference is where am I putting my trust?  For me to get to that place of confidence, I must have His promises in my heart and mind.  Go treasure hunting for your promises.  They are in His Word.

It’s All About Perspective (Part 2)

January 3, 2009

Eddie Perspective 1 Comment

I’m continuing my thoughts about a prayer/praise David offered in the following passage: 

13 “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! 14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 15 We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.”   (1 Chronicles 29:11-15 NLT)

In a previous post I reflected on verses 11-12.  Today, I want to meditate on verses 13-15.   David continues his praise and adoration in verse 13:  “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name!

Then…  then David goes in a change of direction.  Note:  14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! spitzer_m81

After the praise and adoraton of this great, powerful, glorious, victorious, majestic God, David now sees himself in comparison.  Has David anything to offer God.  He knows that what he has came from God to begin with!  Oh! we so need to remember this fact.  Many lose this perspective and we must strive to remember it in our daily lives when it comes to our possessions.  What we have…just stop right here and consider all that you have around you…what you and I have God gave to us!  Whatever I offer Him, he supplied it to me!  He doesn’t need it.  We might think of tithes and offerings.  God doesn’t NEED them.  He wants us to offer 10% back to him to test our obedience and trust in Him.  When we are and when we do…He will bless us abundantly! 

We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passshawdowing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.”  

 Here is another area that is near and dear to us, like our possessions–our time! Note David’s testimony of his perspective on time and place.  Using “strangers” and “visitors” he acknowledges we are not home!  This earth is not our home and we are only passing through.  And speaking of “passing”, David says three things about our days on earth:  (1) They are like a passing shadow, (2) (like a passing shadow) gone so soon, and (3) without a trace.   Friend, time is fleeting in our lives.  I believe the analogy of our days like a shadow is fitting.  I recall as a child attempting to run and step on my shadow.  They as so elusive.  But the shadows pass with the passing of the day and there is not one trace of its presence when the day is over.  Our life is brief (as a vapor, says James).  On the grand scheme of things, no traces are left of our lives.  Let our lives count for the Lord while He gives us this time here!

It’s All About Perspective (Part 1)

January 2, 2009

Eddie Meditational Moments, Perspective Leave a comment

So life is a bit overwhelming as you begin the new year?  Now you’ve added some resolutions to the stressors in your life! :)    I want to revisit the passage I ended yesterday’s post with and meditate on it for a couple of days.  I reproduce the first two verses here:

“11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. (1 Chronicles 29:11-12 NLT)

The first thing that struck me was, in context (v. 10), David was in the presence of the entire assembly and when he “prayed in front of people” he simply talked directly to the Lord as if he was praying in his bedroom.  That is a lesson to us on the matter of “praying in public.”  It is PRAYING to the Lord.  Not speech making to a crowd.  Anyway, let’s learn from David’s prayer here.

sunset-shot-rYours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom.

I think this sets the tone for what David is going to pray.  When we pray, this is the ideal place to begin — getting the right perspective.  As Jesus modeled, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” When we begin praying with the confession that God is great, all powerful, glory belongs to Him, victories in my life come from Him and that He deserves my adoration, it simply puts us in right perspective in our mind and therefore frames the rest of what we pray.

Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. 

earthbluemarblewestterraAll belongs to Him.  It is important for us to confess that fact–for us to say it to Him.  That which is celestrial and that which is terrestrial is all His!  With that statement made, we can go right to quickly acknowledging that ALL we have is His:  our possessions, our family, our health, our future, our talents, our “kingdom” belongs to God.  We need to confess that to Him!  It does us good to say it!  The Lord knows it already.

Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.

wealthWhatever wealth we have been entrusted with, it came from Him.  Whatever recognition we have received from family, friends or others, it orignated with Him.  Do you need God’s power in your life?  That power resides in His hand!  If you’ve been made great in any sense…if you’ve been given strength in any sense (personally, nationally or globally)…it is so at the discretion of  the Lord.

 

After acknowledging these facts, do your stressors shrink?  Do your worries wither?  Does your confidence increase that today is going to be ok, because everything that is going on around me, God is on top of it?!!!!

 

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