Today’s Journey Through Scripture Readings: Psalm 7-9; Acts 18
Lord, our Lord, how majestic
is your name throughout the earth!
You made your glory higher than heaven!
2 From the mouths of nursing babies
you have laid a strong foundation
because of your foes,
in order to stop vengeful enemies.
3 When I look up at your skies,
at what your fingers made—
the moon and the stars
that you set firmly in place—
4 what are human beings
that you think about them;
what are human beings
that you pay attention to them?
5 You’ve made them only slightly less than divine,
crowning them with glory and grandeur.
6 You’ve let them rule over your handiwork,
putting everything under their feet—
7 all sheep and all cattle,
the wild animals too,
8 the birds in the sky,
the fish of the ocean,
everything that travels the pathways of the sea.
9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name throughout the earth!
Psalm 8:1-9, Common English Bible
I love Psalm 8. I think it is my favorite of all the psalms. In this psalm, the psalmist praises God for the greatness of creation. Even more, the psalmist praises God for humanity’s role in the Creation. God’s providence and God’s wisdom are so present in the words of the psalmist.
“When I look up in the sky, the works of your fingers…” Imagine as you read this, being in a light poor area during the darkest hours of the night. Look at the stars. Even if we are looking at a small part of the sky, the stars are so numerous there is no way to count them all. Or, the vastness of the oceans and all the oceans hold can seem overwhelming. Back looking at the night sky, have you ever been in one of the meteor showers? Sometimes, those come faster and more numerous than we can count as well.
The psalmist asks a really good question, “What are human beings that you think about them, what are human beings that you pay attention to them?” My answer to the psalmist’s question is, “It’s not about us. God isn’t mindful of us because of who we are. God is mindful of us because of the nature of God. God is mindful of us because God loves us. God is mindful of us because God wants a relationship with us.”
It isn’t about you and me. This is all about the love of God. What are we, humans? We are a bunch of people, who are sinful creatures and who fall short of the glory of God. And, God loves us anyway. There is a word for that, GRACE. And praise God, there is more grace in God than there is sin in us.
As I read the psalm, particularly the last few verses, “You let them rule over your handiwork, putting everything under their feet…” When I hear the environmental news, I can’t help but think God might want to rethink the dominion over all the earth God entrusts to us. Quite frankly, we aren’t doing a very good job.
But then again, the psalmist reminds us of the goodness of God and the love we should have for God… “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
Have a blessed day in the Lord.
With Joy and thankfulness,
Keith
Copyright 2018, J. Keith Broyles, All Rights Reserved
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Published by drjkbroyles
I love Mike Ashcraft's book, "My One Word." For the past nine years I have participated and encouraged others to participate to in the "My One Word" Challenge. My first word was discipline was my word the first year. Since then my word has been focus, sight, jungle, peace, concentration, serve, genuine and this year is fit. I seek to be fit for my health, my family, my church, my ministries. I seek to be fit in any are of my life where God might point to me.
I also have a nickname, "Dr. B." When I was a public high school teacher, Dr. B. is what most of my students called me, at least in my presence. I am still called that by many people though I no longer teach in public schools.
I am the author of "Average Joe: With an Extraordinary Story" (available on Amazon). The book fits into the genre of "Biblical Fiction" or "Christian Fiction" and features some of the Bible's lesser known characters.
The name of my blog is, "Fork in the Road." Life is filled with forks in the road. It isn't a matter of if we encounter a fork in the road, but when will we and how many will we experience in a lifetime.
I love to strum my guitar. I am not a great guitar player but I enjoy it. I also enjoy writing music. I get excited with I feel a new song emerging.
I live with my wife Cindy and our little dog, "Bishop" in Lufkin, Texas.
I spent the past 30 years as a United Methodist pastor, serving churches all over east and southeast Texas, from just north of Tyler to south of Houston, from the Gulf Coast to east of Madisonville. I currently serve Perritte Memorial UMC in Nacogdoches.
I spent one year in the classroom, teaching High School government, economics, psychology, and sociology.
Cindy and I have been married for 43 years. We have two grown sons and six grandchildren, three boys and three girls.
I enjoy preaching and all it's aspects from research to writing to the actual preaching event. I also love writing, reading. I have dabble in drawing and "painting" with pastels as well as woodworking and woodcarving. My current projects are two ukuleles. I collect, repair and restore guitars too. I play the guitar (badly, but I still do) I also enjoy working with paracord on various projects, mostly prayer ropes I usually give away.
I hold an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Data Processing, from San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX, a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a minor in History from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX, a Master of Divinity from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX and a Doctor of Ministry from Carolina University of Theology.
This blog started out as devotional writings. In August of 2020, I made a major change to the blog, switching to a daily theme format.
Sunday Sermon-usually my manuscript sermon
Miscellaneous Monday-misc. writing, poetry, ministry
Tuesday Thoughts-Devotion
Wed. with Wesleys-hist. & theol. of early Methodists
TED Talk Thursday-Video & appl. in current theology
Five for Friday-5 things I've seen & my thoughts
Sing-Along Sat. - Usually a new song I have written
I write, "Strumming a G-Chord with Dr.B." to get my thoughts onto something permanent. After all, they say, once something is on the internet it never really goes away.
Still, I hope you enjoy reading it. Who knows, it might generate a bit of discussion between you and me and anyone else who might make their way here.
Seeking the Genuine,
Keith
Lufkin, Texas
August 2020
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