Today I noticed the verses in Dt. 32:39-42. God has been talking about the Israelites in the Song of Moses. And he forsees when they will abandon him and serve other gods. Those other rocks in which they will seek safety are "not like our Rock" (verse 31).
Suddenly in verse 39, God focuses on himself. 19 times in the space of 4 verses, God uses the first person pronoun (I or me or my). 19 times! One of the things that impresses me about this is: God has the notion that the universe revolves around him!
Now, I've known more than a few people who thought the world revolved around them. They expected others to serve them, to please them, to keep them happy. I've seen them act as if others were to wait on them hand and foot. In fact, I've been accused of that attitude a few times myself. (I think I'm growing out of that phase.)
But these verses in Deuteronomy remind me that God--YHWH, The Great I AM--is the only one who rightfully holds the position of the focus of all the universe and all history. The heavenly beings fly around his throne, singing
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory." (Isaiah 6:3)
The apostle John (Revelation 19:1) "heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
'Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God....'
Well, I could find many other such references. I just think I needed the reminder this morning: That the world does not exist to make me happy or to make me anything else. The world--the universe--exists to bring glory to the one and only true God.
What do you think?
1 comment:
Sounds like a pretty good definition of worship to me.
Glory be to God on high,
and on earth peace, good will towards men.
We praise thee, we bless thee,
we worship thee,
we glorify thee,
we give thanks to thee for thy great glory,
O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Thou that takes away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father,
have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy;
thou only art the Lord;
thou only, O Christ,
with the Holy Ghost,
art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
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