Tag Archives: Psalm

Fascinated by the Light

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It was a normal “Mr. Mom” moment: I was changing Ben’s diaper.

He has always been fascinated by lights: Christmas lights are the first ones I remember, because he was about three months old at that time, but he loves the lights in the youth room, the light from my phone, and light just about anywhere you can imagine.

Butt…back to the diaper changing (see what I did there?)…

As I finished changing his diaper, I picked him up and he was staring at the light in the ceiling. It’s an old pull-string, one-bulb light, so I figured I would lift him up a bit and let him pull the string. I had to help him a bit, but once we figured it out, he had a blast pulling the light on and off, on and off, on and off, on and off…okay, Ben! Enough!

 

He was fascinated by the light.

It takes some truly brilliant light to fascinate me; basically, a sunrise or especially a sunset. The colors, the dimensions, the shapes, the shadows: God’s handiwork is incredible. What an Artist! However, other than something like the rise and fall of the sun, I’m not as fascinated by incandescent bulbs and such, as Ben Thomas is.

Lights serve a purpose. They’re a utility. They provide a function and I appreciate them, but I am not enthralled by their beauty or brilliance.

My Mom is like me…always fascinated by sunsets. You can bet that on any given day, with a particularly beautiful sunset, I will get a phone call or a text to say, “Look at the sky!”

What about you? Are you fascinated by the light? Or have your senses become dulled like mine?

Are you more distracted by darkness than you are rapt up in the beauty of light?

Here’s a few verses on “light”:

  • God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’ Job 33:27-29
  • For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. Psalm 56:12-13
  • Suddenly, God, your light floods my path, God drives out the darkness. 2 Samuel 22:29
  • Light, space, zest— that’s God! So, with him on my side I’m fearless, afraid of no one and nothing. Psalm 27:1-3
  • You’re a fountain of cascading light, and you open our eyes to light. Psalm 36:6
  • Light-seeds are planted in the souls of God‘s people, Joy-seeds are planted in good heart-soil. Psalm 97:11

Is that you? Are you someone who plants “seeds” of light? I want to be that person! I want to plant the light of God in others! And I want to look for the light of God in everyone I come into contact with!

Jesus said, “You are the Light of the World”!

Gigi reminded us last week that we are all stamped with God’s image, so I believe the light of God rests within everyone, no matter how dark their outsides may seem. Do what Romans 12 says and “look for the beauty (light) in everyone”.

Just as lights have beauty and serve a purpose, every person on this earth has beauty and purpose. And that is truly fascinating!

ATTIC,

Steve

Worship (Part 2): Who and Why?

Who will worship?

  • Every living creature: Everything that has breath.

Revelation 7:9
“I looked again. I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there—all nations and tribes, all races and languages. And they were standing, dressed in white robes and waving palm branches, standing before the Throne and the Lamb and heartily singing: Salvation to our God on his Throne! Salvation to the Lamb! All who were standing around the Throne—Angels, Elders, Animals— fell on their faces before the Throne and worshiped God, singing: Oh, Yes! The blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, The honor and power and strength, To our God forever and ever and ever! Oh, Yes!”

Why do we worship?

  • Because He has never let us down and has never left us.

Psalm 22:22
Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs: Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel. He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.

Psalm 34:9
Worship God if you want the best; worship opens doors to all his goodness.

Psalm 51:16
Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.

Psalm 130:3
If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that’s why you’re worshiped.

ATTIC,

Steve