Thankfulness (Part 2)

I hope you're still singing! Last week, we were all encouraged to heed the invitation of the Psalmist to "sing for joy to the LORD", (Psalm 95:1, NIV). Songs of praise and worship to God gladdens a sad heart, so keep singing. The Psalmist continued by considering the nature of the God we are called to worship. He is "the LORD". This speaks of His power and authority as creator of all things. It also refers to His ultimate rule and dominion over all else. None is above Him, all are below Him. He answers to no one and everyone mighty and small, all answer to Him. He owns all things, including the breath in our lungs. He is LORD of all. 

The Psalmist also calls Him the "great God". He is not a god, with a small "G", He is the only God, the supreme being and creator of the universe. Unique and in a class of His own. He is too big for human comprehension, yet He made himself knowable. In Jesus Christ, He revealed himself to us. In the Holy Spirit, He dwells in us. In a sense He is far, yet in another, He is ever so close. He is the ever present help in times of trouble. He exists in a community, three in one, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the words of the Athanasian Creed,  "we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, without either confusing the Persons, or dividing the Substance. For the Father's Person is one, the Son's another, the Holy Spirit's another. But the Godhead of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one, their Glory is equal, their Majesty is co-eternal." 

He is the "great King above all gods." (Psalm 95:3, NIV). He transcends all and rules over all. The Psalmist then turns to his creation: the sea and dry land; the mountains and the depths of the earth are in His hands. This speaks of His magnitude, as well as His ability. Everything is under His control. The sea, with its proud waves, can't overstep its boundary, except He allows it. The Lord sets limits and quiets the ranging storms. He is in control of your life too. When it seems your life is spiraling out of control, turn it over to Him and watch Him bring calm and rest to your troubled soul. This great King is both willing and ready to shepherd your life, if you yield it to Him. He is the Good Shepherd, who will and can meet your every need. He is trustworthy.

That's why the Psalmist goes on to say "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care" (Psalm 95:6-7, NIV). This is the only reasonable response to a mighty God, the great King and LORD of all. We can either chose to humble ourselves before Him now, or be made to bow when He eventually reveals His glory to all mankind at the end of time. For a time is coming when every knee will have no choice but to bow, and everyone tongue will without any doubt recognise that Jesus is truly LORD of all, particularly as they are incontrovertibly confronted with the fullness of His majesty. (Phil. 2:10). For those who choose to bow to Him now, there is a promise of rest, for those who will later learn and be made to bow, there is a warning.

The Psalmist draws from the experience of the Israelites in the wilderness. They harden their hearts in Meribah, where they doubted God's existence and His presence with them. (Exodus:17). Their rebellion led to God's anger and wrath and many of that generation did not enter the promised land, because they failed to trust God. Remarkably, we learn something else about God's anger. It does not last forever: "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5, NLT).  "For forty years I was angry with that generation." Yet we know after forty years, he settled their children in the promise land. He is a loving and forgiving God. 

"Today, if only you would hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." This is the plea from the Psalmist. He places the onus on us to hear Him. In other words, God's voice is audible and clear. If we don't hear it, it's because we are choosing to ignore it. Let's hear the voice of God today through the Psalmist - Be thankful!