Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Today’s Scripture Reading  |  Psalm 99

The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble!
   He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
The Lord is great in Zion;
   he is exalted over all the peoples.
Let them praise your great and awesome name.
   Holy is he!
Mighty King, lover of justice,
   you have established equity;
you have executed justice
   and righteousness in Jacob.
Extol the Lord our God;
   worship at his footstool.
   Holy is he!

Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
   Samuel also was among those who called on his name.
   They cried to the Lord, and he answered them.
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
   they kept his decrees,
   and the statutes that he gave them.

O Lord our God, you answered them;
   you were a forgiving God to them,
   but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
Extol the Lord our God,
   and worship at his holy mountain;
   for the Lord our God is holy. (NRSV)

Reflection
The author of Psalm 99 reminds us several times that the Lord our God is holy: exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness. The psalmist sees God’s holiness in many ways and in many places: in the quaking of the earth, in the pillar of cloud, in the way he answered the cries from his people, the list goes on.

I see God’s holiness in the big things too. I see God’s goodness in my many blessings. I see his righteousness whenever the least, the last, the lost, and the lonely are lifted up in Jesus’ name. I see his perfect love through the power of the Holy Spirit when people are moved to tears during worship.

And I also see that God is holy and worthy of my complete devotion in the little things. Little things are not insignificant. In fact, it’s the little things that make up most of life and it’s often in the little things that I see God most. I see God in the reminder from a friend on a tough day that I am not my job title or my marital status. I see God in the peaceful evening and the beautiful sunset reminding me of God’s unlimited power to create beauty. I see God when I have the right words to comfort a loved one.

Where do you see God’s holiness? How can you help others to see it too?

Prayer
Holy God, you are all knowing, all loving, and worthy of my unending praise and adoration. Open my eyes to see your goodness and righteousness in the world. Guide my words and my deeds so that I may exalt you in all that I say and in all that I do. Amen.

Written by Nicole Spirgen, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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