Tuesday, December 27, 2022  

Today’s Scripture Reading
Psalm 148

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! 

Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host! 

Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars! 

Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! 

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. 

He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed. 

Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, 

fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command! 

Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! 

Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! 

Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! 

Young men and women alike, old and young together! 

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven. 

He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the Lord! (NRSV) 

Reflection

These days, “creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God ... in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:19–21). 

Psalm 148 is a glorious, God-given epilogue to our current, troubled times. Because of Christ, we can look forward to a time when all God’s creation unites in a universal chorus of praise to the Lord—a time when, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10–11). 

Some time ago, I was channel-surfing when I heard the familiar voice of Sir David Attenborough (Flatman, J. 2006, Cape, BBC Worldwide, London, England.) Immediately, I was transported to the mouth of the Mtentu River where a large shoal of ginormous kingfish had gathered, fresh from a feeding frenzy in the Indian Ocean. Meandering slowly upstream, these “sea monsters” organized themselves into a dignified congregation. Proceeding several miles through the olivine freshwater, they suddenly stopped and began swimming in a large, reverent circle. They circled reverently for days. Since time immemorial, the kingfish have performed this annual riverine ritual. It does not appear to be driven by breeding or feeding but remains to us an inexplicable idiosyncrasy of nature. 

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for the neat preview of how kingfish glorify you, even now. Please help us guard these beautiful mysteries of your creation, so that generations yet unborn may see and know that you are God. Thank you for leading us to gather and glorify you in faithful worship together. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Written by Jeanette Chung, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church  

Reflection and prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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