Reflections from on High

Word for the Week: Infinite and Immutable

Last week we looked at the portion of Psalm 139:14-16 that features God’s omnipotence:

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”

Today, let’s take a look at verses 17 & 18 before bringing this to a close. Within these two verses we find that our God is infinite, or immeasurable and immutable, or unchanging.

“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.”

Aren’t you glad we have a God Who is the same today as He was yesterday, a God Who promises to never leave us nor forsake us?

So, what was the Psalmist's response to a God who is omniscient, eternal, incomprehensible, omnipresent, self-sufficient, self-existent, omnipotent, infinite, immutable, and sovereign over the affairs in our lives?

We find his response in verses 23 & 24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

When we see God for Who He is, it will change the way we see ourselves. Finally, I can understand why those who seem to know God best are quick to admit their wrong doing, while humbly submitting themselves to whatever God has allowed into their lives.

May each of us make this our prayer for our own lives. Search me, examine my heart, and show me what needs to change in order that I might be conformed to your image.

For further study on these ten attributes of God, check out Jen Wilkin’s book, “None Like Him,” or A. W. Tozer’s two-volume series “The Attributes of God.”

Word for the Week: Eternal, Incomprehensible, Omnipresent, Self-sufficient, Self-existent

Last week we learned that studying the attributes of God can inspire a sense of awe within our hearts for our Creator. As we continue taking a fresh look at Psalm 139, let’s first return to the passage shared last week and look more closely at verses five and six:

“Thou hast beset me behind and before (in understanding God’s ability to see our past and our future, we can see His eternality), and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”

Our God is incomprehensible!

Not only do we see God’s omniscience in the first section of Psalm of 139, but we also see His omnipresence in the second section, verses 7-12:

“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”

Don’t you just love the support God can give to us because of His self-sufficiency.

“If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.”

As we move to the next section, verses 13-16 give us a glimpse of God’s omnipotence:

“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”

Our self-existent God is the Creator of all life!

This week, I just want to encourage you to “stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene” as we wonder how in the world He could love us when He sees and knows absolutely everything about us.

Word for the Week: Omniscient

“O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” (Ps. 139:1-6)

I can still remember when my perspective of Psalm 139 changed. My husband’s assistant was preaching for him, and in his sermon he pointed out three of God’s attributes that are found within this Psalm. Then recently, I received some additional insight regarding this chapter.

As we were discussing some of the attributes of God, one of the missionaries our church supports suggested I read None Like Him by Jen Wilkin. I always enjoy learning more about the character of our God by studying His attributes, but it was the conclusion of this book that has, for several weeks, captivated my thoughts.

Psalm 139 is often used to encourage women who struggle with their self-worth by reminding us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” While that is true, the author made a valid point when she said, “Psalm 139 is not a Psalm about me, fearfully and wonderfully made; it is a Psalm about my Maker, fearful and wonderful.”

She went on to express her belief that, in general, we lack a sense of awe for our God. Seeing God for who He is will bring us to a place of humility, confession, and submission. We will look at this more closely as we dig deeper into Psalm 139 over the next few weeks.

If you have been visiting this page for any length of time, then you are very familiar with my love of nature. God often captures my attention with the beauty found in our Rocky Mountains; however, there is nothing like studying His attributes to inspire a sense of awe within our hearts for our Creator!

Word for the Week: Lamb of God

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29

I wonder what tone of voice John used in this announcement? Was it one of exuberance, or one of humble admiration for what his cousin was about to face.

In Genesis chapter 22, we do not read what was in the heart of Abraham when God instructed him to take Isaac and offer him as a burnt offering, although we do read how deeply Isaac was loved by his father.

We know they traveled for three days, possibly three of the longest days of Abraham’s life. Perhaps he vacillated between fear and faith as he anticipated his son’s questions and tried to comprehend the command he was given. We know he had some inner strength and confidence in God as evidenced by his statement, “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” However, only someone faced with the possibility of giving up their only child for the sake of saving others can come close to the depth of emotion Abraham must have felt.

Can you imagine the attention Moses and Aaron must have given to God’s detailed instructions for the Passover lamb in Exodus chapter 12? Not only did those instructions include the necessity of a lamb “without blemish,” but also how many people should eat of one lamb, how far in advance they should choose a lamb, how they were to cook the lamb, what they should serve to eat with the lamb, and how they were to eat the lamb.

There were also specific instructions given as to how they were to apply the blood of the lamb for protection over their homes. Although this event happened thousands of years ago, Passover is still celebrated today.

We see this theme of the sacrificial Lamb of God throughout Scripture. While the picture shared with this post is rather adorable, it is sobering to realize the Word became flesh and dwelt among us in order that He might give His life a ransom for all.

“…he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” (Is. 53:6)

Word for the Week: Distracted =O)

I had the best of intentions to prepare something ahead of time, something about the character of our God, something upon which we can all meditate, but this crew arrived to help their mom and dad lay the new flooring in our basement, the final big indoor step from cleaning up after our flood, and I got distracted.

Last week, we spent time rejoicing in Jesus as the only begotten Son of God. I find it very precious that God uses illustrations with which we can relate when referring to so many biblical concepts. God is our Heavenly Father. Just as this crew can crawl up into their daddy’s lap when they have a need, we too can rest in the love and provision of our Heavenly Father. Perhaps, someone needs the following reminder today:

“Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matt. 6:30-34)

Word for the Week: Only Begotten Son

“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him…For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (Jn. 1:18, 3:16-18

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” (1 Jn. 4:9)

Once again, my heart fills with excitement while I feel extremely inadequate to relay the truth that Jesus Christ was begotten not made. You and I are begotten of mortal beings and created in the image of God, but Jesus Christ has always existed as the Son of God.

John chapter one establishes the deity of Jesus Christ for us starting in verse one. From the beginning, He was the Word who was with God creating all things that were made, a light that shone so much greater than those created, to illuminate for us the way of Salvation, and reveal to us the glory of God the Father.

Hebrews 1:3 give us this explanation: “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

As I am writing, the sky is filled with beautiful pink hues of a rising sun against an Easter egg blue background. I stand in awe at our forest green pines separated by the lime green and yellow changing aspens, and I’m reminded that “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”

Do you want to know God, really know Him? Study the only begotten Son of God.

Word for the Week: Grace and Truth

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (Jn. 1:14)

I found the definition of “grace” in my Vine’s Expository Dictionary to be very insightful. It reads as follows:

“…its spontaneous character, as in the case of God’s redemptive mercy, and the pleasure or joy He designs for the recipient; thus it is set in contrast with:

Debt: “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt…Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.” (Rom. 4:4,16)

Works: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Rom. 11:6)

The law: “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)

I read one commentator who said, “God could have chosen to become flesh as a judge and executioner. And all of us would be found guilty before him and be sentenced to everlasting punishment. But he did not become flesh that way. The Word, the Son, who is God, became flesh to reveal a divine glory that is “full of grace and truth.” The Word of God became flesh to be gracious to us. The Word became flesh so that this graciousness to us would come in accord with God’s truthfulness.”

Have you seen the condition of your heart through the truth of the Word of God? If so, have you accepted the grace extended to you through the substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh?

Do you have time in your busyness to comment below with your testimony? One of the things I love about meeting new believers is hearing how they came to faith in Christ. He truly is the tie that knits our hearts together.