The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 13:1-2,
"How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?"
The five questions of David that comprise the first two verses of Psalm 13 display a heart that is transparent, authentic and without pretense. These questions reveal someone who acknowledges God as another real person. The superior person to be approached in reverence and awe to be sure, but nonetheless a truly personal God.
I have something of an angst about the worship and the approach with which many address God, as though God were something other than a real person. Kind of how pagans might worship an idol. Idols are lifeless, they don't emote, they have no personhood: please the idol and get your goodies, or cross the idol and encounter a curse, some form of financial setback, sickness, or whatever. It is as though interaction with God was impersonal, that God might be little more than some kind of quid pro quo moral principle. I think it rife with the heath and wealth gospel purveyors, as well as many other places. I firmly believe many of the traditional Protestant denominations have gone this way as well as the Roman Catholic church in many places (when they aren't engaged in other activities!). Just listen to what is said and taught. I'm not saying everywhere and always for certain groups, but it is certainly alive and well with many people.
David held God in great reverence and fear, but he did so in recognition of God as a real person, not some religious "object". I can easily picture at least the first four questions being asked by one spouse of another. Real persons interacting with one another.
I really think there is something to consider here in David's appeal to God. Our sovereign God Almighty sits on his majestic throne of supremacy over all of his creation... but he does so in his splendor as a real person, and yet a person due the full reverence and fear that is rightfully his.
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know..
"How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?"
The five questions of David that comprise the first two verses of Psalm 13 display a heart that is transparent, authentic and without pretense. These questions reveal someone who acknowledges God as another real person. The superior person to be approached in reverence and awe to be sure, but nonetheless a truly personal God.
I have something of an angst about the worship and the approach with which many address God, as though God were something other than a real person. Kind of how pagans might worship an idol. Idols are lifeless, they don't emote, they have no personhood: please the idol and get your goodies, or cross the idol and encounter a curse, some form of financial setback, sickness, or whatever. It is as though interaction with God was impersonal, that God might be little more than some kind of quid pro quo moral principle. I think it rife with the heath and wealth gospel purveyors, as well as many other places. I firmly believe many of the traditional Protestant denominations have gone this way as well as the Roman Catholic church in many places (when they aren't engaged in other activities!). Just listen to what is said and taught. I'm not saying everywhere and always for certain groups, but it is certainly alive and well with many people.
David held God in great reverence and fear, but he did so in recognition of God as a real person, not some religious "object". I can easily picture at least the first four questions being asked by one spouse of another. Real persons interacting with one another.
I really think there is something to consider here in David's appeal to God. Our sovereign God Almighty sits on his majestic throne of supremacy over all of his creation... but he does so in his splendor as a real person, and yet a person due the full reverence and fear that is rightfully his.
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know..
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