November 7th Reflection - The Only - by Bill Lynch

Psalm 145:1–5, 17–21
Praise. Of David.

I will extol you, my God and King,
   and bless your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will bless you,
   and praise your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
   his greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall laud your works to another,
   and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendour of your majesty,
   and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
The Lord is just in all his ways,
   and kind in all his doings.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
   to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfils the desire of all who fear him;
   he also hears their cry, and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him,
   but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
   and all flesh will bless his holy name for ever and ever.

Reflection - The Only
As disciples of Jesus, we know that God takes supreme position in our lives. Commonly we refer to God as King. I would have a difficult time thinking of God as President, but I like the thought of King much better. Not in the sense of an earthly king, rather I like idea that God is my heavenly King. My King, my One, the Only and what is above and beyond anything I can even imagine with my feeble mind and spirit. God is my One, even sounds better to me.

God as my One, brings forth adoration, worship, praise, honor, power and might. God is the only One. I can't have enough time in eternity to find the expression of God in my mind and spirit. I can't have enough of eternity to express blessing to God my One. There can't be enough generations of flesh that can appropriately give what is proper praise to God.

This God, this One for whom I live and breathe, for whom I praise and honor and adore, is gracious, merciful and righteous. My God, my One is steadfast in his love. All expressions that people have attempted for ages to tell of the feelings we have for God. All expressions that seem to fall far short of any appropriate words I could use to express my love for God. But, words and emotions and actions and praise are all I know of in this frame of being that I catch myself in here and now. This is the best I have to offer to praise God and yet I feel as if I fall far short of what God deserves. And I do fall far short. We all fall far short of any expression we can have towards God that displays our love for God.

So, God helps us in our "falling short." God helps us through Jesus. Jesus is our perfect expression of the love of God. Jesus is the flesh and blood and the spirit that brings what is appropriate to God. So, when I want to express my love for God, I look to Jesus. I look to Jesus and see God's Love. I see Jesus in prayer. I see Jesus teaching. I see Jesus healing. I see God in Jesus and I see how Jesus comes before the Father in my place to offer appropriate praise and honor and glory fitting for my King, my One, my Only, my God. Thanks be to God for Jesus to sing the praises to God that I can't even begin to sing in God's presence. Thanks be to God in Jesus for taking my place and expressing my love. Thanks be to God for Jesus!

Prayer
Jesus, I look to you and join with you in praise of Father, Son, Spirit, Creator, Redeemer, Sanctified, King, One, Only... my God... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen