June 18th - Reflection

Psalm 8 (NRSV)
How exalted is your name
O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?

Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Reflection
It all blows me away. Go for a walk and look around. Look listen and observe. How did all this come to be? You see flowers, grass, children playing, streets and cars, airplanes, a small creek, dogs barking, other walkers. You smell all sort of fragrances from the perfume of a flower or the perfume of a lady blowing in the breeze to tree rot in the creek and perhaps a waft of fume from the sewer manhole as you walk by. You listen and hear birds, cars, lawn mowers, loud neighbors, music, the water of the creek flowing around rocks. All of your senses point to something magnificent that has taken place. Creation brought all of this to life. But who created it? Sure, I am even part of the creation of the airplane, but only a tiny tiny part of the whole. But what about the dogs, the trees, the flowers, water, air, and on and on? I have taken for granted the glory of all that is right here in front and all around me. God's touch is everywhere, and I take it all for granted.

Leap now into the spiritual aspect of life. I can sense a force much greater than mine when a child grasps the truths of God by observing an ant and discovering life. The child knows that there is more here than just an ant and confounds me with the creation question. My answer is such a goofy answer in that I tell the child that God created the ant. But how did the ant get here? The child and I banter back and forth until the child simply gives up. I really don't have an answer that satisfies this spiritual question. The child walks away satisfied with my answers. And I realize that the simple faith of the child has silenced my arrogant answers that I have given with little faith.

God is majestic. Our Lord, our Sovereign is the universal ruler. It's way beyond my understanding. But this is the truth from which the assurance of all my faith is born and rises up from within me.

God created a paradox to all of this when Jesus was sent into this world. The Creator was sent to be the created and bring all things under him. In so doing Jesus raised me up to a level that I can't comprehend. Through the love of God, Jesus brought me out of my insignificance, my frailty and my failures to be just lower than God. Go figure that!

When God places all things under the feet of man, I realize that God is speaking of Jesus. Jesus in whom I see fully the dominion which God intended. Jesus has raised me up through his life, ministry, healing, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, and the gift of his Spirit to all the world. Jesus granted a redemption in which all can share. It's all about Jesus.

This creation that I walk through, what my senses experience, all point to the glory of Jesus. How majestic is that name in all the earth! All earth points straight to Jesus! What glory! What honor! Jesus has brought me in close to him. Jesus sends his Spirit daily to gift me, empower me, call me, guide me! How majestic is that!

Yep...it all blows me away! But it's great! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Jesus...how majestic is you name in all the earth!...It all points to you! Thanks be to God! --- Amen