December 10, 2009

PraisE God for rain

Psalm 135

Joe Shannon
Thursday's Devo

December 10, 2009

Thursday's Devo

December 10, 2009

Central Truth

The Lord God is in total control of all things from up in heaven to here on earth!

Key Verse | Psalm 135:6–7

He does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the ocean depths.
He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth,
makes lightning bolts accompany the rain,
and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
(Psalm 135:6-7)

Psalm 135

Your Name, O LORD, Endures Forever

Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD,
    give praise, O servants of the LORD,
who stand in the house of the LORD,
    in the courts of the house of our God!
Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
    sing to his name, for it is pleasant! 1 135:3 Or for he is beautiful
For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
    Israel as his own possession.

For I know that the LORD is great,
    and that our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the LORD pleases, he does,
    in heaven and on earth,
    in the seas and all deeps.
He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
    who makes lightnings for the rain
    and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    both of man and of beast;
who in your midst, O Egypt,
    sent signs and wonders
    against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10  who struck down many nations
    and killed mighty kings,
11  Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    and Og, king of Bashan,
    and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12  and gave their land as a heritage,
    a heritage to his people Israel.

13  Your name, O LORD, endures forever,
    your renown, 2 135:13 Or remembrance O LORD, throughout all ages.
14  For the LORD will vindicate his people
    and have compassion on his servants.

15  The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
16  They have mouths, but do not speak;
    they have eyes, but do not see;
17  they have ears, but do not hear,
    nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18  Those who make them become like them,
    so do all who trust in them.

19  O house of Israel, bless the LORD!
    O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!
20  O house of Levi, bless the LORD!
    You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
21  Blessed be the LORD from Zion,
    he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the LORD!

Footnotes

[1] 135:3 Or for he is beautiful
[2] 135:13 Or remembrance

Dive Deeper | Psalm 135

What makes rain? Vapors. There must be vapors all over the earth. Winds blow from the oceans, then lightning accompanies the rain. This repeatedly transports purified water from the ocean back over the earth to fall as rain and snow. From there, it runs back to the oceans, after performing life-sustaining service to the earth. "Unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again." (Ecclesiastes 1:7) Despite this truth, the world’s top scientists remain at a loss to explain weather patterns. They all have theories, but often they contradict one another. 

Scripture tells us that such things are reserved only for God. Job 38:22-24 (KJV) reveals that He possesses treasures: “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?” This cycle sustains physical life on earth, but it is also a metaphor for giving spiritual life by spreading God's Word: "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth . . . . So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please . . . ." (Isaiah 55:10-11, KJV)

I leave all things that baffle my mind to God. For the short time I have on earth, I prefer to focus on the Lord's will for my life and sharing His truth instead of what makes rain, how old rocks are, and whether the lion became a vegan while on Noah's ark! All of this will be answered in heaven. One of my favorite songs, Heaven, says it so well: "I don't need no one to tell me about heaven, I look at my daughter and I believe. I don't need no proof when it comes to God and truth, I can see the sunset and I perceive."

Discussion Questions

As you think about these questions look at Jeremiah 10:13 and 51:16, verses that track with Psalm 135. This psalm is one of the "Hallelujah Psalms." Hallelujah means "Praise ye Jah" or "Praise ye Jehovah." The word hallelujah is the same in every language. It's the common denominator. We cannot all speak the same language except when it comes to praising the Lord.

1. Do I allow what I know—or worse, the things I don't know—to hinder my growth and the intimate relationship God craves to have with me? 

2. What does God want my legacy to be? Like the vapors, am I repeating daily God's mission for me and all believers? (Matthew 28: 17-20) 

3. Do I truly believe it what God's Word tells me, even if I don't understand it all?