At some point, all believers are frustrated by seeming difference between the boldness of their faith claim on the one hand and what they see going on in the world on the other hand. Our faith proclaims that our sovereign God reigns over all His creation; He is Supreme and All-Powerful. We proclaim with David, "
Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him." (Psalm 115:3). On the other hand, what we see around us is a world that seems to spin out of control. Not only does it not appear to be under the control of a holy God, it doesn't appear to be under control at all. How can we say that God reigns over all the earth while there seems to be so little evidence of that reign? We see many evidenced in this world-- power and greed and pride and wealth. But sometimes God is not seen nearly so obviously.
In Psalm 115, the psalmist asks us to look at this from a very different perspective. The nations taunt Israel, "Where is their God." Unlike the nations, Israel's God was not represented by an idol. The temple of Yahweh contained no representation of His likeness; there were no gold and silver statues that portrayed His presence. The gods of the nations were cast in silver and gold because they were too small to be God. Yes, these idols could be seen... and that was precisely why they could not really be God (Psalm 115:5-8).
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see;
6 they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell;
7 they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk;
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
Our God truly is God because He is in heaven. He reigns above this material reality because He is beyond this physical reality.
Yes, we see the material things of this world more plainly than we do the spiritual realities beyond. We have material eyes, and we see the material-- and those things can impress us. Wealth and power and prestige are real and visible, but they are only idols. They are not God. These things can distract us with their immediacy, but they are not worthy of our affection or our praise. Our God rules above the things of this world, and thus only God deserves worship. The nations may ask, "Where is your God?" One day they will see... and bow down.
1 comment:
God reigns above all because he created it all, he spoke it into existence, it is all his, not all of it will stand forever only that which he has chosen will stand forever with him. (When the creator has cast his work and that work is made perfect can he not destroy the temporal mold and all that did not conform to his plan?) (It is a living work that is us and we who live have made a choice to conform to HIS plan; given to us through his spirit, his living word, that works in us as we encourage others to be made perfect and live forever with Him the Author of All! It is not for our glory we do this, it is His. Every thing else must be cast down before Him.) I am sorry. . . I missed all of that.
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