February 4, 2018 - STANDING IN AWE OF OUR MERCIFUL GOD

Day 35 - (Today’s Bible readings: Genesis 26:12-34; Psalm 33; Matthew 16:21-28)

8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
    let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:8-9)

The Psalmist (David) calls you to remember that God is the Creator of all things, and that He did this by simply speaking everything into existence. Stop to think about that. Almighty God spoke, and ... the universe came into existence, everything from the tiniest spec to the tallest tree, from the center of the earth to the center of the universe, from the smallest amoeba to the largest whale. And “then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Genesis 2:7)

David’s response is to encourage all inhabitants of the world to “stand in awe of him!”

Yes, the wonders of this world and the wonders of your body are enough to make you “stand in awe” of One who is responsible for it all! The catechism adds this to the end of the explanation to the First Article of the Apostles’ Creed: “For all which it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.” (Luther’s Small Catechism)

But there is more, much more! In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus reveals God the Father’s greatest “creation,” His merciful plan for your salvation: “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”  (Matthew 16:21)

Not only is God responsible for your earthly life, but He also guarantees your eternal life by means of Jesus’ death and resurrection! And for this, He is truly worthy of adoration, adoration that takes the form of repentance and faith.

1. O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder  
Consider all the works Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, 
Thy power throughout the universe displayed;
REFRAIN:
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee, 
How Great Thou art!  How Great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee, 
How Great Thou art!  How Great Thou art!

3. But when I think that God, His Son not sparing,  
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing  
He bled and died to take away my sin: REFRAIN
(“How Great Thou Art,” Lutheran Service Book, #801)

Almighty God, Creator of everything, I do stand in awe of all that You have done. Above all, I thank you and praise you for sending Jesus to die for me. May I humbly and faithfully remain in awe of Your great mercy all the days of my life until that day when I begin an eternity of adoringly standing in Your presence. Amen.

“See” you at the Communion table this morning!

Pastor David Paape

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings form the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/lcms-lcc-and-nalc-compile-three-year-schedule-of-daily-bible-readings  
Then scroll down to 2018 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless you meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!