Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.
Psalm 115 begins:
Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love
and your faithfulness. (v 1)
Then Psalm 115 it raises the big question: does God really exist, saying:
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?” (v. 2).
This question is relevant because the nations parked their gods in temples. Visible. Touchable. Easily worshipped. Israel also had a temple, but no image of God in residence, prompting the question, “Where is their God?”
The poet responds:
Our God is in the heavens,
he does whatever he pleases (v. 2b).
The poet contrasts his competent God with the inert idols of the nations, confined to their temples, unable to exercise power. He says:
They have mouths, but can’t speak,
eyes but can’t see.
Ears, but can’t hear
noses, but can’t smell.
They have hands, but they can’t feel;
feet, but they can’t walk. (vv. 5-8).
The idols are dumb, deaf, blind, immobile, and unfeeling. Still, they present a dangerous risk to those who make and worship them. The poet says:
Those who make them become like them
so do all who trust in them. (v. 8).
Let’s pray.
Our father, we heed your warning not to become like the gods we serve. If we serve money, we become cold and calculating. If we serve conspiracy theories, we become distrustful and paranoid. If we serve social media, we develop short attention spans and thoughtless speech.
Help us to serve you, our God, to become like you. Help us to be thoughtful, reflecting on your creation, agreeing with you that it is good. Help us become creative, inventing new solutions for old problems, developing new ways to help your world and love its people. Help us become patient with others, accepting mistakes as the road to growth, lending a helping hand. Help us become joyful, not despairing at everything that is wrong, but rejoicing in faith and hope.
Help us not to become like the gods of the nations, with unseeing eyes, unhearing ears, feeling hands, unspeaking mouths.
With our eyes may we see the good and the bad in our world, looking with compassion on the hurting, with hatred on the evil, with obedience on your face.
With our ears, may we hear your word calling us to repentance and faith, to righteousness and service of others. With our mouths may we speak your praise, delivering encouragement to the discouraged and hope to the depressed. With our hands may we help the weak, serve the poor, and bring about your justice.
O father, with the poet we wait for your blessing, as he says:
You have remembered us and you will bless us;
you will bless the house of Israel;
you will bless the house of Aaron.
You will bless those who fear you,
both great and small (vv. 12-13).
And with the poet,
We will bless you, Lord,
both now and forever more (v. 18).
Amen.
I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”.
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