Thoughts from aSacredRebel following the SacredRebel
O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it. (Psalm 104:24-26, NRSV)
God created Leviathan for the sport of it!
God has a sense of wonder and humor.
God does things that make Him happy.
You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills, giving drink to every wild animal; the wild asses quench their thirst. By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches. From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart. The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has its home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the coneys. You have made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. You make darkness, and it is night, when all the animals of the forest come creeping out. The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. When the sun rises, they withdraw and lie down in their dens. People go out to their work and to their labor until the evening. (Psalm 104:10-23, NRSV)
God created every living creature and then made sure that they would have a place to live. He provided for their habitation and supplies for their needs.
Won’t God do the same for you?
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty, wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent, you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind, you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers. You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken. You cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they flee; at the sound of your thunder they take to flight. They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys to the place that you appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. (Psalm 104:1-9, NRSV)
What has the Lord done?
He has commanded the light.
He has commanded the heavens.
He has commanded the waters.
He has commanded the clouds.
He has commanded the wind.
And all of these and more listened to him.
He alone is worthy to be praised.
So bless the Lord!
After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there a few days. (John 2:12, NRSV)
Why did Jesus go to Capernaum?
From this verse, we don’t know. We would need to read before this verse or after it to know for sure, and they may not tell us.
What could we say about this though?
Jesus went away with those He loved and cared for. THose in His inner circle, His family.
So we could say that you need to take time away from whatever is going on to spend time with family.
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:1-11, NRSV)
6 stone water jars used for purification. So how big were these jars?
They were about 20 gallons each!
That is alotof wine!
And it was not just any wine. It was really good wine.
Jesus helped these people out every when he said it was not time for Him to make himself known. When people are in need Jesus is there to help.
Even when the problem seems small to us, Jesus still helps.
I mean does there need To be more wine really? To us this seems like a small problem. So the party has to come to an end. But this was actually a matter of honor for the family. And if Jesus is there He is probably somehow connected with the family.
So this isn’t actually a small matter but one that could have longstanding impact.
Jesus cares for the small details of our lives.
Know that he cares for you.
Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me. (Psalm 66:20, NRSV)
Have you ever been rejected?
Have people ever turned their backs on you?
This is something we do not need to worry about God doing to us. He will always listen to us when we call on Him.
He will not reject us or leave us.
He will hear us and be there for us.
Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. I cried aloud to him, and he was extolled with my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has given heed to the words of my prayer. (Psalm 66:16-19, NRSV)
How many times have you told people about all that God has done for you?
When was the last time you told anyone anything God has done for you?
God hears as every time we call on Him. He is never too busy to hear us.
He will hear our prayer and answer us. And we need to share this with the world.
I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will pay you my vows, those that my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. I will offer to you burnt offerings of fatlings, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah (Psalm 66:13-15, NRSV)
Maybe we don’t understand offering sacrifices of animals but we can all sacrifice something to or for God. We can make promises Just as God made promises to us.
How can we Show God that we trust His promises to us?
How can we show the world we trust God?
Do you trust God?
Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept us among the living, and has not let our feet slip. For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid burdens on our backs; you let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a spacious place. (Psalm 66:8-12, NRSV)
God has kept us among the living and has helped us not to lose our footing.
Through everything we have gone, the Lord has always been with us.
Through testing and trials, He has kept us.
He has tested us as silver is tried.
So He knows we are done when He sees His reflection in us.
Do you reflect God?
He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There we rejoiced in him, who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations— let the rebellious not exalt themselves. Selah (Psalm 66:6-7, NRSV)
God is able to do things we think are impossible.
Make dry land from a raging river.
God is always with His people and will do what He has to to keep them safe.
Our God is a great God and shows us His Iove in many and various ways.
Give Him praise for all He has done for you!
aSacredRebel