Lenten Devotion 03.25.2014

March 25 – Tuesday
Fasting Item(s): Computer (except for school) & Video Games.
Today’s Scripture: Psalm 111 “I will thank the LORD with all my heart as I meet with His godly people.  How amazing are the deeds of the LORD!  All who delight in Him should ponder them.  Everything He does reveals His glory and majesty.  His righteousness never fails.  He causes us to remember His wonderful works.  How gracious and merciful is our LORD!  He gives food to those who fear Him; He always remembers His covenant.  He has shown His great power to His people by giving them the lands of other nations.  All He does is just and good, and all His commandments are trustworthy.  They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.  He has paid a full ransom for His people.  He has guaranteed His covenant with them forever.  What a holy, awe-inspiring name He has!  Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom.  All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom.  Praise Him forever!” NLT
Question: What do you think of when you hear the word, “Majesty“?
Devotion:  Have you ever been hiking or somewhere in nature and really thought to yourself, “Boy am I small”?  Or have you ever been captivated by NASA or space related things and come across a picture that just hit you about your insignificance in relation to everything else?  If you haven’t put any thought into it, watch this (3 minute) video to gain a hint of your insignificance.  Okay, do you now have an idea that there is more to life than you?  I know that I’ve come to the end of myself on many occasions where this reality of my insignificance is right before me.  So what is it about God’s vast creation that takes our created insignificance and makes us significant?  I want to touch on a handful of points to this question.  First, we were created in the “image of God” (Genesis 1:27) and therefore that makes us significant somehow.  What is it about human beings that God would deem us worthy to be created in His image?  In order to properly answer that question, we need to understand the phrase a little better.  I believe that we are placed in a higher order of God’s creation, meaning that we have more value to God than a poodle…no offense to my avid poodle loving friends out there who care deeply for their Fifi.  Being created by God says that He’s creative and therefore we have a capacity to creativity too.  Look at technology and how insanely intricate and complicated it can be – Fifi can’t do that.  Second, you can’t see God face to face (yet) because He is Spirit.  Genesis 1:2 says that, “…And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” (ESV)  As I’ve heard and re-communicated, we are spirits with bodies, not bodies with spirits.  Nurturing our spirit is as important as eating, drinking and exercising are to our physical body.  Fifi doesn’t long for a Bible study or prayer group to pray for reconciliation.  Another point is that we communicate because God communicates (Genesis 1:3).  We are able to use words, symbols and art to illustrate an idea or series of ideas to the hearer, unlike the capacity of animals (Mr. Ed doesn’t count).  Intelligence is another aspect of our likeness to God, similar to that of the technology analogy, but different in that there is an order to this intelligence.  “For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace – as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” 1 Corinthians 14:33  We are also relational beings.  God says, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…it is not good for man to be alone.” (Genesis 1:26 & 2:18)  Lastly, we all have some sort of moral compass placed inside of us.  I would say that it is similar to what Adam and Eve had within the Garden of Eden.  They knew that they were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and we can now see where their disobedience got us today.  Natural laws govern the universe and moral laws govern our behavior.  God’s Word teaches us that these laws are written on our hearts and are universal to all human beings.  (Romans 2:15)  This was a long way of answering the original question; “What do you think of when you hear the word, ‘Majesty’?”  I’d like you to re-read Psalm 111 and ponder all the works of God’s hands and then thank Him for creating YOU in HIS image.  A small point of clarity, we are not God even though we are created in His likeness.  Many people have taken this verse to mean that they are the masters of their own universe (Job 38) or at least that they have control of a small sphere of their own will (apart from the will of God).  This is NOT the meaning of being created in the image of God.  His majesty is His glory.  Why would an all-powerful God create galaxies and universes when He cares so much for us?  It’s all about His majesty, His greatness.  Do we doubt His greatness?  Do we doubt His care for us?  “His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember His wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our LORD!”  Sorry Fifi.
Prayer focus: Kids and Parents pray for your friends and children in other countries who may not know Jesus.

Here’s the free Lent Calendar to follow along the path God is calling us to. Take others on the journey with you, but not in a “look at us” sort of way. This is a humble journey to be endured with the help of God.