For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.” vss. 4-5
Psalm 96
Human beings seem to have a god gene as part of their DNA that drives them to set aside time and energy for worship as a regular activity. Sometimes the object of that worship was found in nature, perhaps a particular mountain or rock feature. Later worship included the erection of pillars or altars in sacred spaces, and ultimately the building of temples and the crafting of stone or metal images. The psalmist makes the claim that all of these efforts had been in vain and that only the Lord God, the maker of the heavens and the earth, was worthy of praise and worship. It’s a bold and audacious statement, one that continues to be affirmed by billions of people. Of course there are some who believe that the evolution of knowledge has rendered all notions of God obsolete, but most people persist in believing and are persistent in worship. And for many, even though the one God is cloaked in mystery, there is a conviction that this unknowable Mighty One has actually become known in Jesus Christ, and that’s what we’ll be celebrating this weekend. We might even sing together, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,” as a musical confession of faith. The Lord of the Universe is real, and is present in our world.
Thought for the Day: What happens if the “god gene” is absent?
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