David Bahn – Reflections

The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
    let the many coastlands be glad!
² Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
³ Fire goes before him
    and burns up his adversaries all around.
⁴ His lightnings light up the world;
    the earth sees and trembles.
⁵ The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
    before the LORD of all the earth.

⁶ The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
    and all the peoples see his glory.
⁷ All worshipers of images are put to shame,
    who make their boast in worthless idols;
    worship him, all you gods!

⁸ Zion hears and is glad,
    and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
    because of your judgments, O LORD.
⁹ For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;
    you are exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰ O you who love the LORD, hate evil!
    He preserves the lives of his saints;
    he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
¹¹ Light is sown for the righteous,
    and joy for the upright in heart.
¹² Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,
    and give thanks to his holy name!

We were on the way to Colorado. Our son Aaron was driving. It was late at night and he needed to let someone else take the wheel. So he pulled the big blue Dodge van off to the side of the road. Suddenly he yelled, “Everybody out of the van!”

What was going on? Did we have a flat tire? Was the van on fire?

It was none of the above. We were in a dark sky area of the country. It was a cold and clear night.

And the stars were amazing! My attempt at astrophotography many years later doesn’t begin to capture the glorious display of God’s creation.

⁶ The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
    and all the peoples see his glory.
⁷ All worshipers of images are put to shame,
    who make their boast in worthless idols;
    worship him, all you gods!

I notice that there is a connection between seeing God’s glory and righteousness in the heavens and the shame of those who worship the creation rather than the creator. Then I found this verse:

And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. (Deuteronomy 4:19 ESV)

Paul would later write:

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (Romans 1:25)

Martin Luther wrote in the Large Catechism, “A god means that from which we are to expect all good and to which we are to take refuge in all distress. … That to which your heart clings and entrusts itself is, I say, really your God.”

So many things vie for the place of God. Attention. Acclimation. Adrenaline. Gold. Guys/Gals. Gin. Cars. Computers. Conquests. Power. Pleasure. Possessions. We may not have a Buddha statue, a Hindu deity or Shinto kami statue on our shelf. But we are easily tempted to find our comfort and salvation in things that will never satisfy us, and can never save us.

Next time you see a majestic night sky, a glorious sunrise, a magnificent mountain range, or a magnificent landscape, remember the One who created it all. It is his display of righteousness for all to see seen most fully in the cross of Jesus who is our rightness, hope, and salvation. He is truly the One who preserves the lives of his saints and delivers us from the hand of the wicked. May his name be praised by us today!