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Romans 11:33-36
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay them?”
For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
New International Version (NIV)
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I always smile when I look up and see the good gift on the wall of my office. It is one of the displays that used to grace the front of every church I grew up in. On these beautiful frames were placed numbers and letters to show us the songs we would sing that day, and also the number of people who had attended Sunday School that day. On my wall, the frame contains the words of the doxology. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below. Praise him above ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.” My early memories of church include singing that song each week. Now I sing it each day at end of day as I leave my office.
After Paul describes the work of God drawing both Jew and Gentile to himself for salvation, he concludes with his own doxology. I suppose I want it written in my obituary some day if not on my tombstone. Hear Paul’s voice rise with deep conviction as he dictates these beautiful words to his amanuensis transcribing his letter to the believers in Rome: “Oh the depth . . .” God possesses wisdom and knowledge so he does not need our advice. God is infinitely wealthy. Nothing we ever do for God or give to God puts him in our debt. After pouring out the blood of his only Son on the cross, he can never again be said to “owe us” anything. God is the Source, the Means and the Purpose of all things: “from him, through him, and for him.” So of course, he alone gets all the glory. Heaven is about God and his glory alone. I'm
No one in heaven will talk about our greatness. No one will tell about the achievements of individuals, churches, leaders or nations. Does it make sense then that we should not boast here either? All pride and vainglory are an affront to the God who has accomplished every good thing ever done by giving us the breath to live and the ability to do. It strikes me that our word “Great” is overused. We are not great. Nothing we have done is great. God alone is great. Like Paul we are grateful. We are Easter people and “Alleluia” is our song. Remember these words which guided us in our Eastertide worship services? Augustine who is credited with those words also said, “A Christian should be an alleluia from head to foot.”
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Pray with me:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with all of heaven we praise you alone. Forgive our crowing about our supposedly “great” achievements. You alone are worthy of power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and praise. In heaven we will know that fully. Thank you for revealing it to us so that we can get started praising you here. Make each of us and all of us an alleluia from head to foot. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Join us in memorizing the Word. Scripture for this week:
Matthew 6:1-2
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
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| Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week. In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year. Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.
Joyfully,
Duane
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