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Thursday, February 23, 2012
I
recently started using a “smart phone” and am exploring the scores of
apps available. Since we take lots of long walks we are enjoying one
that records our walk; how far we’ve gone, our precise route (using
gps) and even the calories burned (don’t ask me how they figure that
out!). When we get done it keeps a history, including a map of the
route.
Another one is called Google sky. I can take the phone out at night and point it to the sky and it shows on the screen what I am looking at. (I suppose it somehow uses the gps.) Last night was somewhat overcast but I managed to look up and identify Sirius, which is the brightest star in the night sky. I don’t see how anyone can look up at the sky and claim to be an atheist!
We
enjoy the little stories of what happens when children misunderstand
adult concepts and wording that we simply take for granted. Jim, a
pastor
friend of ours, shared one that sure brought a chuckle. A Sunday
School teacher asked the class, "What does God do?" A little girl
responded, "God is an
artist." The teacher smiled and asked her what she meant. Recalling the
line from the Lord's Prayer (as she understood it) she replied, "Our
Father who does art in heaven."
That illustration prompted me to picture God as an artist and I suppose you could call Psalm 8:3 "divine finger painting" (the work of Your fingers). Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm written by David who extols God's greatness. It's only eight verses long and can be read (or listened to) in about 1 minute. Listen here. Yet it's packed with majestic truths concerning God's glory and man's dignity.
When
I read this passage I picture David as a young boy lying on his back out in a field on a clear
night, looking up to the stars. Do you ever do that? I recall doing so a child and
even in recent years this still creates a sense of awe in me. In
fact, when the weather gets warmer, I'll be out in our front lawn using Google sky to view the heavens!
In recognizing the majesty of God in His creation we sense our own puniness. David considers, "What is man that you are mindful of him?" Reflecting on God's greatness can certainly give us a proper perspective on the Almighty power of our sovereign Lord. We may wonder how such a great God can even be mindful of us.
But thanks be to God, He is mindful. He loves and cares and watches over all His creation. Today He, who never changes, is concerned for each one of us. We find our rightful place when we, like David, live with the awareness of God's greatness. The Psalm ends with this great declaration, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!" Amen!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily Prayer: Father God, Your magnificence surrounds us from every direction. Your glory is
revealed throughout Your creative design in nature, humanity, and all throughout the
universe. Even as You rule over nature and the universe I
am grateful that You are the Supreme Ruler of my life. Bring into
conformity my thoughts and actions as You search my mind and know my
heart. I am in awe of Your greatness and declare with the Psalmist today, "O Lord, our Lord, how
majestic is Your name in all the earth!" Amen.
"Fire and Ice":
This weekend our community (Mount Joy, Pennsylvania) is having a Main
Street "Fire and Ice" Festival with ice carvings and a Chili Cookoff
Challenge. Brooksyne will be making chili and serving it, along with
others, as part of an amateur contest on Saturday from 11:00-3:00 on
Main Street in Mount Joy (at the Union Community Bank Portico.) It
would be our pleasure to meet and serve chili to our local readers!
For details visit www.msmj.org
Thursday, February 23, 2012
On our walk west of our home we enjoy walking the grounds on the Cameron Estate Mansion and Inn.
Listen
to this
message on
your
audio player
"Considering The Heavens"
I like this picture but I didn't take it!
"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place" (Psalm 8:3).Listen
to this
message on
your
audio player"Considering The Heavens"
I like this picture but I didn't take it!
I
recently started using a “smart phone” and am exploring the scores of
apps available. Since we take lots of long walks we are enjoying one
that records our walk; how far we’ve gone, our precise route (using
gps) and even the calories burned (don’t ask me how they figure that
out!). When we get done it keeps a history, including a map of the
route.Another one is called Google sky. I can take the phone out at night and point it to the sky and it shows on the screen what I am looking at. (I suppose it somehow uses the gps.) Last night was somewhat overcast but I managed to look up and identify Sirius, which is the brightest star in the night sky. I don’t see how anyone can look up at the sky and claim to be an atheist!
We
enjoy the little stories of what happens when children misunderstand
adult concepts and wording that we simply take for granted. Jim, a
pastor
friend of ours, shared one that sure brought a chuckle. A Sunday
School teacher asked the class, "What does God do?" A little girl
responded, "God is an
artist." The teacher smiled and asked her what she meant. Recalling the
line from the Lord's Prayer (as she understood it) she replied, "Our
Father who does art in heaven."That illustration prompted me to picture God as an artist and I suppose you could call Psalm 8:3 "divine finger painting" (the work of Your fingers). Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm written by David who extols God's greatness. It's only eight verses long and can be read (or listened to) in about 1 minute. Listen here. Yet it's packed with majestic truths concerning God's glory and man's dignity.
When
I read this passage I picture David as a young boy lying on his back out in a field on a clear
night, looking up to the stars. Do you ever do that? I recall doing so a child and
even in recent years this still creates a sense of awe in me. In
fact, when the weather gets warmer, I'll be out in our front lawn using Google sky to view the heavens! In recognizing the majesty of God in His creation we sense our own puniness. David considers, "What is man that you are mindful of him?" Reflecting on God's greatness can certainly give us a proper perspective on the Almighty power of our sovereign Lord. We may wonder how such a great God can even be mindful of us.
But thanks be to God, He is mindful. He loves and cares and watches over all His creation. Today He, who never changes, is concerned for each one of us. We find our rightful place when we, like David, live with the awareness of God's greatness. The Psalm ends with this great declaration, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!" Amen!
O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily Prayer: Father God, Your magnificence surrounds us from every direction. Your glory is
revealed throughout Your creative design in nature, humanity, and all throughout the
universe. Even as You rule over nature and the universe I
am grateful that You are the Supreme Ruler of my life. Bring into
conformity my thoughts and actions as You search my mind and know my
heart. I am in awe of Your greatness and declare with the Psalmist today, "O Lord, our Lord, how
majestic is Your name in all the earth!" Amen."Fire and Ice":
This weekend our community (Mount Joy, Pennsylvania) is having a Main
Street "Fire and Ice" Festival with ice carvings and a Chili Cookoff
Challenge. Brooksyne will be making chili and serving it, along with
others, as part of an amateur contest on Saturday from 11:00-3:00 on
Main Street in Mount Joy (at the Union Community Bank Portico.) It
would be our pleasure to meet and serve chili to our local readers!
For details visit www.msmj.orgToday's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"How Great Thou Art" Video Newsong
"How Majestic Is Thy Name" Video Keith Green
"O Lord, How Majestic Is Your Name" Video Unknown
"Majestic" Video Lincoln Brewster
Google Sky
Cameron Estate Mansion and Inn
For the curious here is the app I mentioned that records my walk. (It was free when ordered on my phone.)
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
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