Oh What Is Man?

In choirs past we have had the opportunity to sing songs that are both lyrically and instrumentally moving. Some songs bring excitement and adoration of the King through clapping and shouting and giant smiles across each face. And some songs create a mood of somberness and humility before the Almighty Creator. One such song we sang in BSU Choir was Majesty and Glory of Your Name. I know that many of you have probably sang this in a choir yourself at some point. It has become a staple choice of many choir directors for such the reason mentioned above. It brings about the emotion of fear and reverence of our Lord.

Last night, our skies were darkened by more than the absence of light. Our skies were darkened by massive clouds full of energy and power. Our skies were darkened by the colliding of wind and temperature. Our skies were darkened by gushing water pouring from these clouds. Our skies were darkened and yet illuminated by the lightening as it blazed across the span of our outside ceiling and touched the earth with vigor and swiftness. Our skies were darkened by the dominance of the turbulent and massive tornadoes that destroyed so many things within seconds. Our skies were darkened by the power of God to give and take away.

My family was blessed…even more so than the last time these steamrolled through our state one April day just a few years back. This time we have maintained power and we had a basement to go into for shelter. I feel spoiled and unworthy as I know that even as I write this, I have friends and family picking up pieces of their history and of their present life that are no longer whole. The great question “why?” will be prominent today and I feel enormous pressure to answer that question. Yet, there is a time and a place. I am a firm believer that each person is built not only physically different, but also mentally and emotionally. Comfort is needed right now – yes, but words are not the comfort that will best show Jesus. Giving feet to His word is needed today. Serving and exerting the energy that He has given you to attend to the people that He has created and to love the families He adores is the only answer you can give today.

My God will supply all of my needs. Yes, this is true and yes, it is comforting. Yet, it is difficult to explain in moments like this why he would spare one and allow another harm. I am a prime example of God sparing AND allowing harm. I am also aware that it is not of me to find myself unworthy of pain. God spared me from the greatest pain with the crucifixion of His ONE and ONLY son. God desires to speak to us all and sometimes He must speak through others in order to get our attention. Sometimes you are that “other” being used by the Almighty to shake someone into a realization that He is who He says He is and He can do what He says He can do and He will do what He says He will do. So many people that I cross paths with in this region of the world are professing Christians, but their lives leave NO evidence of a walk with the Lord. He longs for ALL of us to come to an intimate relationship with Him, and yet we keep putting it off until tomorrow because there is too much to do today.

What is there to do when it is all gone? What is there to accomplish when you have nothing? Where is there to go when you are surrounded by destruction? What is it that you just have to have that you will sacrifice one more moment at His feet in order to be of this world? Who can you cry out to in the darkness when the wind is roaring so loudly that you cannot even hear your own voice? He will spare no expense to get your attention. There has not been a tornado pass through a community in my lifetime that did not destroy one or more churches – GOD’S OWN HOUSE. Wrap your brain around that! He allowed the destruction of a shelter of WORSHIP OF HIM so that He could demonstrate to you His power and might.

Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed – and they had no comforter; power was on the side of the oppressors – and they have no comforter…And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is MEANINGLESS, a chasing after the wind…There is no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment.”…Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. Ecclesiastes 4:1,4,8,&13

Don’t misunderstand me friends, this passage is not saying that your home lies in ruins because you were envious. It could be. But it could also be saying to your neighbor or someone within your sphere of influence that their energy is being exerted on things that are temporary and not eternal. Exhausting yourself to gain worldly fame, wealth and prestige does not gain you eternity. You are depriving yourself of the joy of what life was truly intended to be. For in a moment it is gone. The oppressed are in need of a comforter and healer. Yet those responsible for the oppression are also in need of healing as a wound or the weight of sin has caused them to behave in such a way.

The sun is rising, but the sky is still gray and full of clouds. More storms are coming. Are you ready? Do you have your eternity secured and your priorities in order? Our world is diseased and God is patiently waiting for our choice to be Him and not self. May He be ever merciful today as we watch His power unravel once more. Oh what is man that you are mindful of him?

The Majesty and Glory of Your Name

When I gaze
Into the night sky
And see the work
Of Your fingers
The moon and stars
Suspended in space
But what is man
That You are mindful of him?
You have given man
A crown of glory and honor
And have made him
A little lower than the angels
You have put him
In charge of all creation
The beasts of the field
The birds of the air
The fish of the sea
But what is man
Oh, what is man
That You are mindful of him?

O Lord, our God
The majesty and glory
Of Your name
Transcends the earth
And fills the heavens
O Lord, our God
Little children praise Him perfectly
And so would we
And so would we
Alleluia, Alleluia
The majesty and glory of Your name
Alleluia, Alleluia