Wednesday, November 5, 2014

THE CREATED WORLD TREMBLES BEFORE GOD: DO WE?













HOW DO WE REFLECT GOD IN OUR LIVES?

Psalm 114
            When Israel went out from Egypt,
                        the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
            Judah became his sanctuary,
                        Israel his dominion.
            The sea looked and fled;
                        Jordan turned back.
            The mountains skipped like rams,
                        the hills like lambs.
            What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
                        O Jordan, that you turn back?
            O mountains, that you skip like rams?
                        O hills, like lambs?
            Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
                        at the presence of the God of Jacob,
            who turns the rock into a pool of water,
                        the flint into a spring of water.

This psalm is a description of the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt. Through the psalms, God desired for His people to remember His great works. The reminder was intended to produce dependence, assurance, awe, gratitude, hope, and fear.

The author reminds us that God lead the children of Israel out of bondage and lived in their midst, through the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day. The waters of the Red sea and of the Jordan river opened at His command. The mountains shook at the power of God. When the Lord gave the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, the whole nation of Israel watched, as God’s power was displayed on the mountain. The psalmist goes on to remind the readers of His provision of water from the rock at Massa.

Dear friends, we need to reflect and ask ourselves what reactions are displayed in our daily lives.

The God who controls all powers and rulers is our God. The Holy Spirit dwells within each believer, to comfort and guide. The Lord controls our circumstances and is our provider. We should not, cannot, be indifferent to this reality.

Though God displayed His power to Israel, wanting them to be a light to the nations, they failed many times. As believers today, God wants to be our all, as well, and wants us to be a light to those around us.

Matthew 5:13-16
            “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
            “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Do people glorify God because they see His work displayed through us?

How often do we live our lives as if God is not a major part of them? We make decisions without eternal goals in mind. How is our relationship with God affecting our friendships, our leisure, our purchases, our job decisions… How are our responses displaying our dependence on the God of the Bible?

The children of the Israel did not have the privilege of reading the Word of God every day. We are so blessed in having the Scriptures available at our fingertips. Each day we should prepare ourselves by reading and meditating the Bible.

I know that I should live my life with the fear of the Lord. Nature shakes at the voice of God. The demons shake before God. All too often, though, I live my days as if God did not exist and I must take care of myself. What a terrible way to dishonor God!

May our lives be different today and every day, because we know the God who lovingly revealed Himself to us!

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