The Lord Reigns
BRD REFLECTIONS
Galatians 3 and Psalm 93 (NIV)
(Gordon Tan, Associate Lay Leader)
READ:
Psalm 93 (ESV)
1The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. 2Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. 3The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. 4Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty! 5Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore.
OBSERVE:
The Psalmist reminds us that God Almighty is “robed in majesty”, He is mighty with “strength as his belt”, and “the world is established; it shall never be moved”.
Recent videos of the terror of hurricanes, typhoons and floods come to mind as I read verses 3 and 4. But then the Psalmist makes the proclamation that “the Lord on high is mighty!” God is above and mightier than these terrors. In fact, God is mightier than the terrors that afflict us.
The Word that speaks loudest is verse 5: “Your decrees are very trustworthy”. The NIV translates it as “Your statutes, Lord, stand firm.” And in the second part of verse 5, the NIV has it as “holiness adorns your house for endless days.”
If you have the opportunity, read the Living Bible version of this Psalm.
APPLY:
I often take for granted that our God reigns; that he is almighty and sovereign over what happens in our world. As a result, I often fail to worship Him as the Almighty God. I fail to adore Him for how He is in control even when I feel totally out of control. I fail to give Him my praise when I do not recognise that I can turn to Him as my source of comfort. I want to learn to consider the circumstances that are happening in this world and not focus on how bad things are but see how great God is.
More importantly, I need to remind myself that God’s laws, the principles He teaches me through His Word are everlasting. They are unchangeable despite our ever-changing world. It is His holiness, His just and merciful ways that continue to rule this world. Despite the evil we constantly face every day, I need to remind myself that the true constant is that God continues to love me despite my sinfulness. I need to remind myself that the true constant is how He forgives me and restores me regardless.
DO:
I want to be more mindful of God’s providence in my life — how He provides for my daily needs. I want to be more mindful of God’s protection in my life — how He lifts me up from holes I fall into; how He guards me from evil or temptations beyond what I can bear. I want to be more mindful of God’s presence in my life — how He is willing to direct my paths if I allow Him; how He answers my prayers when I learn to listen to Him.
PRAY:
Almighty Heavenly Father, thank You for being the Everlasting Creator who loves me. I worship You for Your being Mighty God. I adore You for Your gentleness towards us humans. You know how frail and insignificant we are, yet You care for each step we take, You know us intimately. I praise You for how beautiful and wonderful the world around us is when we gaze at the skies, when we watch the sunrise, when we hear the waves, the singing birds and laughing children. Thank You, Jehovah Jireh.
