September 30, 2009
Majesty in me
Psalm 104:13-23
Mandy Quick
Central Truth
God's glory is displayed in nature and in us. Too often, though, we fail to see and be satisfied in His perfect creation.
Key Verse | Psalm 104:13
He waters the mountains from the upper rooms of his palace;
the earth is full of the fruit you cause to grow.
(Psalm 104:13)
Psalm 104:13-23
13
From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.
14
You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
15
and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man's heart.
16
The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17
In them the birds build their nests;
the stork has her home in the fir trees.
18
The high mountains are for the wild goats;
the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
19
He made the moon to mark the seasons;
1
104:19
Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14)
the sun knows its time for setting.
20
You make darkness, and it is night,
when all the beasts of the forest creep about.
21
The young lions roar for their prey,
seeking their food from God.
22
When the sun rises, they steal away
and lie down in their dens.
23
Man goes out to his work
and to his labor until the evening.
Dive Deeper | Psalm 104:13-23
Since I was a little girl, I have loved the ocean. I mean I L-O-V-E, love it. I know some people feel most at home in the mountains, but I'm just a "beach girl!" I love to let the water wash over my feet and squish the sand between my toes. I love the roar of the waves and the salty smell in the air. When I stand at the water's edge and see the blue ocean stretch to meet the sun, I am overwhelmed at God's beautiful design. It is easy for me to be in awe and fully satisfied in His creation. To me, it's perfection.
For many years, though, I couldn't say the same thing when it came to His creation of me. When I stood in front of a mirror, I didn't have the same sense of awe and satisfaction, even though I had the head knowledge that I, too, was God's creation. The earth may be "satisfied by the fruit of His work," but I was not. For so long I struggled with poor body image. I failed to be satisfied with what I had been given and thought God must not have spent enough time on me. When I was single, I often questioned if He had forgotten me. When I struggled financially, I questioned His ability to provide for me. For a while, I tried to reason through and deal with all of these issues myself. But as you can guess, this strategy failed big time!
If I could stand in awe of a blue ocean, why couldn't I see the majesty of God's creation in me? Aren't we—not the rocks or the sea or the sand—created to be the true illustration of God's glory on earth? My efforts to fake, hide, and control had become futile. I was purely exhausted, so I took my misconceptions of myself to the only place I knew there was grace. God has shown me that He is faithful to do a good work in me. Can you see His majesty in you today?
Discussion Questions
1. Where in creation do you most see God's majesty?
2. What do you see as majestic in His creation of you?
3. In what areas of your life are you dissatisfied? What can you do to trust God in those areas?