GOD AT WORK (PSALM 95)
by Shirley Logsdon
Have you ever wondered what God is doing all day and all night? The person who wrote Psalm 95 tells us He is busy involving Himself with His creation. About Him we are told, “the LORD is a great God and a great King above all gods” (verse 3). The psalmist elaborates, “In His hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is His also. The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land” (verses 4-5). From this we see God made the valleys and the hills, and the seas and the dry land.
God made people too, and He is busy involving Himself with us as well. Not only did He make us; He also wants to have a special relationship with us. He wants us to know His ways. God wants to be family; He longs for us to regard Him as a father who cares about every part of our life. Telling Him about our troubles allows Him to help us, which gives us rest and energy.
It’s one thing for God to know us; it’s another thing for us to know Him well enough to get to know His ways. Just as He is listening to us and watching our activities, His desire is for us to take notice of what He is doing. As we develop a listening heart, observe His deeds all around us and read His Word, we acquire a sensitivity for His voice. David reminds us in Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” Closer to home, in John 10:27 Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Dr Earl Wesley Morey asked in a sermon I once heard if we had noticed Jesus didn’t say ‘lambs’ in this verse? Rather, Jesus said His SHEEP hear His voice and they follow Me. This indicates a progression in our relationship with God, Dr. Morey said. In reflecting on Dr. Morey’s comments, we could say after we get to know Jesus personally, as with any relationship, if it is to develop, both parties must contribute something to it regularly.
As we observe His work, God indicates His desire is for us to respond with appreciation for what we see Him doing. We are invited to sing to God. What we sound like doesn’t matter to Him (What a relief!). Rather, He yearns for us to “make a joyful noise to Him as the rock of our salvation” (verse 1). We are encouraged to “come before His presence with thanksgiving” (verse 2).
There is more to life than what we can see. God is BIG, having Macro Vision as well as Micro Vision. In our finite, limited view, life gets mundane real quickly when we engage in the daily grind without looking up and reminding ourselves we are just passing through on our way to heaven. Meaning and purpose in life come from attributing what happens to us as having been permitted or directed by God. Then He becomes our personal God, and we see ourselves as “the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand” (verse 7).
As we embrace being God’s child, with Him being in charge of our life as Lord and Master, we become eligible to partake in the rest He provides in the daily grind. His food (God’s Word) tastes good, and nourishes our soul. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).
God’s interesting way of doing things fascinates me. When we allow Him to fix our problems His way, He keeps the world moving forward on His Macro plan in His interesting way of doing things. God has a network. When He has priority in my life, with my problems becoming His priority, God brings His resources to bear on my situation in unbelievable ways. He draws in other people, which can be humbling for me. This helps keep my ego and pride in check, while at the same time strengthening other people by using them for His glory.
Just as God uses people in my life, in a similar manner He gives us things to do to help other people. This enriches us, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). God is out to make us into active, mature participants in His kingdom. Since He has chosen to accomplish His daily work in the lives of those He created through people like you and me, please be encouraged to press on as a participant in His work. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58).
When life becomes a grind, which happens to me at least once a day, get yourself some strength with Jesus’ words when He said, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
