Justin Tucker, LHBC Worship Pastor
Psalm 66:1-4
Shout to God, all the Earth; Sing the glory of His name Give to Him glorious praise. Say to God, how awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. All the earth worships you. And sings praises to you. They sing praises to Your name.
Lord of all creation
Lord of water, earth and sky
The heavens are your Tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on high
Several years ago I was spending a few days in Arizona. I flew into Phoenix and then had an hour drive into the town of Wickenburg. Wickenburg rests on the northern edge of the Sonoran desert in the foothills of the Wickenburg Mountain range, it is absolutely beautiful. One evening I stepped out of the conference center that we were at and looked out across the desert and was totally in awe of God’s handiwork. There were colors in the sky that I can’t even begin to describe. There was grass, cacti, and rock formations that were so beautifully sculpted. It was one of those moments in life that really made me realize how small I am and how big God is.
Psalm 19:1 says: “The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Creation is speaking out to us and showing us the evidence of God’s glory. It is a never ending call to worship Him. We need to be reminded that the same God that spoke the world into existence is the same God that, so intricately and intentionally, knit us together in our mother’s wombs. God made humanity and nature in a way that makes us aware of His power. Our problem is that in our sin we suppress the truth that God has placed so plainly in front of our faces. Paul writes in Romans 1:19-21,”what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.’’
Nature’s revelation of God is so evident that all of us are without excuse for our unrighteousness. No one has honored God and given him thanks like they should. For Christians, nature’s revelation may be enough to inspire our worship, but it is not enough to save us, or to focus our worship to its highest point. So to deal with our unrighteousness and focus our worship, He chose to reveal Himself in the person and work of His son, Jesus who gave his life for us at Calvary and rose three days later to claim victory over death and sin. It is an amazing thing that the Lord of all creation — of water, earth, and sky —the God of wonders beyond our galaxy would have us call him Father and would reveal himself in this way. And when he reveals himself, according to Romans 5:8, it is love. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the beautiful that You have created for us to inhabit. Thank you for the constant reminders of Your power, glory, and majesty each and every day. Thank you for loving us in such a way that You would provide a way to reconcile us back to you. Lord Jesus, thank you for laying down your life for us. Thank you for your obedient sacrifice on Calvary. Holy Spirit, guide us and direct us every day to walk in the awe of God. Draw us near to HIs heart. Convict us of sin and draw us into repentance and obedience. Rest on us and allow us to be image bearers and presence carriers of the Most High in all that we do. In Jesus’ name, amen.
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.