April 19, 2022 – Reflections on “The Heavens Declare the Glory of God!”
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Psalm 19:1.
This one verse caught my heart as I read. I remembered the times Mother had us lay in the green grass, looking at the clouds floating by. We found animals and faces in the clouds when we looked hard enough.
Little did I know that looking to the sky — God proclaims His handiwork. As I grew up, I began noticing that all art has as its foundation the creation of God. And I noted people saying they were refreshed by going fishing, hiking, climbing a mountain, or boating. Then another verse from Ecclesiastes had more meaning.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Chapter 3, verse 11. One of my favorite verses, we are not content until we know God’s love surrounds us through His Creation in the beginning. (Genesis 1:1)
Looking and reading God’s voice in the silence begins our understanding of the greatness of God. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, is over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. Psalm 29:2-4.
We do not learn about God as soon as we are born, but in a process from the time we are born. “To whom will He teach knowledge, and to whom will He explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” Isaiah 28:9-10.
Sometimes we wonder the WHY of creation… what was in the mind of our God? Love and bringing Joy and Peace into our lives created by Him. Therefore, our first commandment and second are these: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39.
This love begins in the heart. As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man. Proverbs 27:19. What did David, or Moses, or Noah think about growing up? What were the choices they made from the time they were young? Each decision had to have one basis in mind. What would God have me do? The Bible reveals their lives, the good and the bad. David as a shepherd of flocks of sheep, Moses the shepherd of the Israelites escaping from slavery, and Noah following the commands in shepherding his family through building the ark and his family to escape the terrifying flood waters to come. Then Abraham obeyed God, even if it meant losing Isaac, his one son. Their faith in God made the difference. Now we read their stories of faith, and they teach us what it is like to love Him, and put God first in our lives. They are ambassadors to us in The Holy Word, just as we are ambassadors to everyone we meet. How do we do this? By reflecting the Fruit of the Spirit in our actions, our deeds, and by loving one another.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23.
But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24. Only through Christ Jesus are we able to reflect the glory of Jesus and become His Ambassadors. He is depending on us to “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32.
One lady often said the word ‘mercy’. I didn’t know what that meant until I read these verses from Lamentations. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23.
Oh, the joy of belonging to Jesus, His mercy begins when we listen to the teaching of the Holy Bible! This one book transforms us, teaches us, and guides us in His Way. Trusting, Listening, Fearing Not, Be Encouraged, and Believe is included.
“Be still, and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Psalm 37:3.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act. Psalm 37:3-5.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because He first loved us. I John 4:18-19.
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Philippians 2: 1-2.
Wait for the Lord and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off. Psalm 37:34.
Though you have not seen Him, you love him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. I Peter 1:8-9.
Psalm 19 ends with this prayer, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14.