NO ROOM FOR PRIDE, BUT HUMBLE WORSHIP!

THERE WILL NEVER BE AN ETERNAL ATHEIST

Psalm 8

O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.

Out of the mouth of babies and infants,

you have established strength because of your foes,

to still the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,

and the son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and honor.

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;

you have put all things under his feet,

all sheep and oxen,

and also the beasts of the field,

the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,

whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Should a man ever rebel against God? Should a man ever be disappointed with God? Should a man ever utter words of complaint against God? As you read this psalm, you see that the answer needs to be absolutely “NO!”

The majesty and glory of God, Himself, is beyond our comprehension. When we look at the heavens, the stars and the moon, we should be amazed. Only the fool has said in his heart there is no God. Only the fool forgets the distance between man and God.

As His created beings, we should be utterly amazed that God even thinks of man, and cares for him.

We so quickly forget the majesty of God and so quickly neglect to remember our place, in comparison to the rest of God’s creation.

Even the enemies of God will one day bring glory to Him! God, in His sovereignty and dominion, proves His complete control over every man, from infants to His most stubborn enemies. There will never be an eternal atheist. On earth some can suppress the reality of God, but in eternity they will be well aware of the glory of God, though surrounded by dark desperation.

Romans 1:18-21

        For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For 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.

One day, every man will answer for his suppression of truth and lack of gratitude.

Man should be grateful, not only for the care he receives from God, but also for the position he has been given on earth.

We so often marvel at the many and varied abilities of man. Yet, how quickly we forget that it is God Who has given him these abilities. Man has dominion over the animals. I have sometimes wondered what would happen on earth, if all the animals rebelled against man and attacked us. Man would have no chance! But God has ordained order and consistency within His creation, for which we should be continually thankful.

God created me! God revealed Himself to me! God sustains me! God gave me an intellect capable of understanding! God has preserved me! God has created my body that functions in an intricate and perfect way! God has given me the ability to communicate with other men! God has created in me a desire to love! God has done everything that has to do with me! Apart from God I would have no purpose!

We tend to forget how impossible life would be on earth, if God was not constantly attentive and active on our behalf. Even our difficulties have a purpose: to drive us to Him and make us more aware of our dependence upon Him.

What an illusion, for man to even think he can rebel against His powerful Creator God! God will, in the end, receive glory for Himself from every action of man.

How often do we allow our discontented thoughts to turn against God? We complain for what we do not have, instead of being amazed at all we have received. We rebel against our circumstances, thinking that we would be wise enough to make them better for ourselves. We have disdain for other men, forgetting that who we are and what we are capable of doing are gifts of God. We show no compassion to a sinful world, even though we have undeservedly received great grace from God.

As this psalm recounts the wonder of God’s love and grace to us, our outlook should be dramatically changed. May my own attitudes and actions be improved today because of a refreshed and humble appreciation for God’s awe-inspiring creation and His astounding providence for man!