Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His majesty is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for His people, praise for all His saints, for the people of Israel are near to Him. Praise the Lord! (Verses 13-14)
You shall revere the Lord your God. You shall serve Him and hold fast to Him and by His name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, Who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen. Deuteronomy 10
We live in southern California not far from Hollywood where celebrities can be seen on a regular basis walking the streets of Rodeo Drive or lunching is some shi shi bistro. Crowds gather at the Hollywood Bowl to listen to everyone from Yo Yo Ma to Billy Joel. There are bus tours to the homes of the stars. Galas at Grauman's Chinese Theatre where celebrities have been immortalized by pressing their hands and feet into the concrete surrounding the building. Bono and U2 show up and everyone presses in for an autograph. Wannabes follow as groupies hoping for a chance at their own immortality. Those who lost their way to San Jose still hope to touch even the sleeve on Paul McCartney's jacket or the beef that wraps around Lady Gaga's torso. We are caught up in the glorification of our idols. And it hints at something innate within us. We are built for worship. It's funny to me because Vanessa has worked in downtown Hollywood and Will still does. Both have some great stories that would bring our idols crashing down to the reality in which we live. Vanessa saw a famous actress in an elevator at the hotel where she worked. "Mom, she is tiny and overly skinny, her hair was a ratty mess. She could have been mistaken for a homeless woman...and she was mean to everyone, growling orders at us as she rode the elevator up to our event." We are wasting our precious praise on paupers whose only claim for our adulation is that they entertained us for a while.
The terrifying things that Moses is speaking to the people of God about are the miracles He did in order to bring them out of slavery. Plagues. The parting of a sea. Salvation from the pursuing Egyptian army. Sweeping signs of His power and majesty. Entertaining perhaps, but only in retrospect. In the moment, watching the power of God play out was awesome...fearsome, even. God raising up a horn of triumph for a people who'd known nothing but bondage for generations. The pealing strains declaring freedom from mud bricks and infanticide. A God Who works for His people because He holds them near and dear is a God Who deserves our heartfelt praise, our most profound worship. In fact, that God is our praise.
Today alone I heard how God took the lumps from a friend's breasts and made them disappear. It was the day for biopsy. It became a day of praise and wonder. The doctor declaring a miracle of grace. Nothing to see here. Another friend recently was relieved to hear her husband didn't have the prostate cancer the doctor was sure of. We are giddy with joy, knowing God is near and hears us.
Even those walking through the valley of the shadow of death have great confidence in where they are going. We all face it. That day. The promise of our God doesn't just stop at, "I will be near you." He promises we will be with Him. Because for Him, our deaths are the culmination of time here and we get to go home. Where He has made a place for us. This terrifying God Who does wonders for His kids just wants us to come home.
He is the Celebrity in our midst. All others are paltry in comparison. He moves about the stage of our existence to maneuver us through our roles. Author, Director and Producer of stories so profound we must stand in ovation for the rescues, the switchbacks, the climaxes and the denouements. We will not find him on a Muzak-filled elevator acting out of character. Always steadfast in love, mighty in our direst circumstances, near when we are far. Creator of not only our particular drama, but also of the drama of the entire universe. Every animate living thing pays homage to God's brilliance. The actors are simply that...doing what Someone Else has conceived in order to bring the story to its glorious or inglorious end. Walk off stage if you will, but those who stay, listen to the Director, understand their lines and glory in their parts will inherit the praise of the Author.
Moses didn't understand at the time he was speaking with the sojourners from Egypt who had just crossed the Red Sea and witnessed the Egyptian army dead on the shores that there was one more terrifying and great thing God planned to do. The ultimate victory trumpet blown on a Sunday when the tomb was empty, the Roman guards groggy from a stunned sleep administered by fearsome angels as the tomb of the King of Kings opened at His command and He was unleashed as the risen Lord into a world in need of a Savior. History records it. The terror of the Friday before. The confusion of the quiet Saturday. The overwhelming audacity of an empty grave. All evil trumped. Satan forever stripped of his power. Such a deed hasn't been recorded before or since. All because our God came near. Because we are dear.
There's no rule that says Christians can't enjoy a good movie or like a particular movie star. That's not what I'm saying. True eminence, however, will make us looker higher. Not waste our praise on anything that isn't worthy of it.
You shall revere the Lord your God. You shall serve Him and hold fast to Him and by His name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, Who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen. Deuteronomy 10
We live in southern California not far from Hollywood where celebrities can be seen on a regular basis walking the streets of Rodeo Drive or lunching is some shi shi bistro. Crowds gather at the Hollywood Bowl to listen to everyone from Yo Yo Ma to Billy Joel. There are bus tours to the homes of the stars. Galas at Grauman's Chinese Theatre where celebrities have been immortalized by pressing their hands and feet into the concrete surrounding the building. Bono and U2 show up and everyone presses in for an autograph. Wannabes follow as groupies hoping for a chance at their own immortality. Those who lost their way to San Jose still hope to touch even the sleeve on Paul McCartney's jacket or the beef that wraps around Lady Gaga's torso. We are caught up in the glorification of our idols. And it hints at something innate within us. We are built for worship. It's funny to me because Vanessa has worked in downtown Hollywood and Will still does. Both have some great stories that would bring our idols crashing down to the reality in which we live. Vanessa saw a famous actress in an elevator at the hotel where she worked. "Mom, she is tiny and overly skinny, her hair was a ratty mess. She could have been mistaken for a homeless woman...and she was mean to everyone, growling orders at us as she rode the elevator up to our event." We are wasting our precious praise on paupers whose only claim for our adulation is that they entertained us for a while.
The terrifying things that Moses is speaking to the people of God about are the miracles He did in order to bring them out of slavery. Plagues. The parting of a sea. Salvation from the pursuing Egyptian army. Sweeping signs of His power and majesty. Entertaining perhaps, but only in retrospect. In the moment, watching the power of God play out was awesome...fearsome, even. God raising up a horn of triumph for a people who'd known nothing but bondage for generations. The pealing strains declaring freedom from mud bricks and infanticide. A God Who works for His people because He holds them near and dear is a God Who deserves our heartfelt praise, our most profound worship. In fact, that God is our praise.
Today alone I heard how God took the lumps from a friend's breasts and made them disappear. It was the day for biopsy. It became a day of praise and wonder. The doctor declaring a miracle of grace. Nothing to see here. Another friend recently was relieved to hear her husband didn't have the prostate cancer the doctor was sure of. We are giddy with joy, knowing God is near and hears us.
Even those walking through the valley of the shadow of death have great confidence in where they are going. We all face it. That day. The promise of our God doesn't just stop at, "I will be near you." He promises we will be with Him. Because for Him, our deaths are the culmination of time here and we get to go home. Where He has made a place for us. This terrifying God Who does wonders for His kids just wants us to come home.
He is the Celebrity in our midst. All others are paltry in comparison. He moves about the stage of our existence to maneuver us through our roles. Author, Director and Producer of stories so profound we must stand in ovation for the rescues, the switchbacks, the climaxes and the denouements. We will not find him on a Muzak-filled elevator acting out of character. Always steadfast in love, mighty in our direst circumstances, near when we are far. Creator of not only our particular drama, but also of the drama of the entire universe. Every animate living thing pays homage to God's brilliance. The actors are simply that...doing what Someone Else has conceived in order to bring the story to its glorious or inglorious end. Walk off stage if you will, but those who stay, listen to the Director, understand their lines and glory in their parts will inherit the praise of the Author.
Moses didn't understand at the time he was speaking with the sojourners from Egypt who had just crossed the Red Sea and witnessed the Egyptian army dead on the shores that there was one more terrifying and great thing God planned to do. The ultimate victory trumpet blown on a Sunday when the tomb was empty, the Roman guards groggy from a stunned sleep administered by fearsome angels as the tomb of the King of Kings opened at His command and He was unleashed as the risen Lord into a world in need of a Savior. History records it. The terror of the Friday before. The confusion of the quiet Saturday. The overwhelming audacity of an empty grave. All evil trumped. Satan forever stripped of his power. Such a deed hasn't been recorded before or since. All because our God came near. Because we are dear.
There's no rule that says Christians can't enjoy a good movie or like a particular movie star. That's not what I'm saying. True eminence, however, will make us looker higher. Not waste our praise on anything that isn't worthy of it.
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