From A Distance?

Sunday January 11, 2015

"From a Distance" the 19991 Grammy Song of the year popularised by Bette Midler, describes what the world looks like from a distance : "From a distance the world looks blue and green ... there is harmony ... And no one is in need. And there are no guns, no bombs and no disease... We are instruments... playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace." The song ends with the lingering refrain : "God is watching us from a distance."

A song in the Bible seems to be saying the same thing : "The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth" (Psalm 33:13-14)

Psalm 33 is a song of praise (vv. 1-3). The writer calls God´s people to praise Him for His Word and His works (vv. 3-9), for He´s the trustworthy, just, good, faithful and loving God (vv. 4-5). We worship a God who powerfully creates, sovereignly controls and providentially cares for His creation (vv. 6-22). The all-powerful Creator of the cosmic world is also the supreme Author of human history! (vv. 9-11).

From heaven, God "sees the whole human race. From his throne He observes all who live on the earth" (vv. 13-14), but that doesn´t make Him distant. Rather, our God is intimately involved with us. "He made [our] hearts, so he understands everything [we] do" (v.15). God isn´t merely watching us from a distance. He´s Immanuel - God with us (Matthew 1:23).

We don´t worship a God on a distant throne. We worship Jesus who entered our world (Hebrews 2:17-18); sympathises with our weaknesses and humanness (4:15-16); rescues us from death; and is our hope, help and shield (Psalm 33:19-20). - K.T.Sim

Read
Psalm 33:1-22
Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; 
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
play skilfully, and shout for joy.

For the word of the Lord is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.

By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the people of the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, 
the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth - 
he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.
No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

We wait in hope for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord,
even as we put our hope in you.

Psalms 139:1-10
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O Lord.

You hem me in - behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, 
If I settle on the far side of the sea,
Even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

Question to Ponder
Do you sometimes feel that God is far away from you?
How can you draw nearer to Him?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue