June 28, 2015: Psalm 113

Psalm 113

Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord;
    praise the name of the Lord.

² Blessed be the name of the Lord
    from this time on and forevermore.
³ From the rising of the sun to its setting
    the name of the Lord is to be praised.
⁴ The Lord is high above all nations,
    and his glory above the heavens.

⁵ Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,
⁶ who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?
⁷ He raises the poor from the dust,
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
⁸ to make them sit with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
⁹ He gives the barren woman a home,
    making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!

Reflection: 

In the past month, I have had the good fortune of visiting two beautiful and inspiring church camps. One morning I woke up a little too early and sat on a bench overlooking Bear Creek Lake in Marianna, Arkansas. I pulled out my phone and opened my Bible app to this passage. I was struck by these words, “The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?” Looking over God’s creation, I was taken aback by the feeling that God was at once all around me and removed from me. I struggled to comprehend how God could be clinging to me like the humidity of that spring day and looking down from the heavens and the earth. It is incomprehensible. Instead of worrying about the details, I resigned to feeling of being wrapped in mystery and chose instead to pray and praise.

Reflection Questions:
Morning: Is there a place where you can sense God’s presence more than anywhere else? What does that feel like?
Noon: How do you wrestle with knowing God is both close and far?
Evening: In the midst of mystery, how will you chose to praise God today?