Psalms 103:19
The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens;
And his kingdom ruleth over all. (KJV)
God has set his throne in heaven;
he rules over all. (Message)
The Psalmist concludes this exercise in theology with the majestic statement, “ God has set his throne in the heavens”. The God of loving loyal concern is the first cause and the last cause. He is the ultimate winner in the universe. This God brings form and function to the universe. “He rules over all”. The Psalmist (Bible) could not have said it more clearly, especially to his listeners three millennia ago. Why don’t we get it?
Could it be that to assign such ultimate authority beyond our miniscule existence is very uncomfortable? We would much prefer to have the universe at our beck and call. There are, however, no human or scientific explanations for the ultimate time and space question. In the last ten years, new discoveries and possible rational descriptions have been presented to us. Taken together they are scientific progress but all such scenarios, at best, are merely detailing how the ultimate authority rules over all.
At this point a footnote is warranted. A choice is always presented to us, to have faith in God or to have faith in nothing. Each of us must decide this question. There seems to be rational grounds for a scientific description and exploration of the workings of the universe that does not preclude a vibrant faith in God the creator. Our reality need not be either or, unless we so choose. When we choose to explore the strings of the universe and the throne God, are we not exploring one and the same?
There is ample circumstantial evidence to assist us in this choice, if we choose to explore it. The Psalmist chose the biblical God of love who knew Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We have the added reports of 2500 years of God and man’s interaction as detailed in secular history books and the bible after the Psalmist. The interactions must be sifted for truth but they are recorded for us to explore. This is the good news that such an option is available to us.
Now the bad news, being on the winning team means that one will become a loser. This is not routine pulpit fare but it is at the center of the relationship between God and man, as well as the biblical record. When we claim to know the God of the universe, losing this worldly priorities is a predictable pattern for the believer. Jesus so instructed his disciples in Matthew, Chapter 10, just before sending them on a mission. Verse 39 is pivotal, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” A connection to the throne of God potentially liberates the individual from a desire to conform to this worldly priorities. To be in the world but not of the world, there is no greater challenge.
How are we doing, we believers that is? Are we promoting the winner model of the Christian life or the loser model? Divinely generated loving loyal concern for others is the byproduct of the loser model. It is no wonder that the mega church with it’s social and economic networking possibilities has become the rage. The pastor and his staff can be paid to do that messy love stuff while we the chosen are free to exploit the would be community. In which model would the corporate model of ministry be a good fit?
Each of us should inspect our lives and our choices, some of each are not really Christian. Our sixteenth president is sitting on his throne in Washington D.C. From the outside of the Lincoln memorial , one has to peek around those huge pillars blocking the view of the majestic figure. So it is with God on His throne, to see Him one needs to peek around the earthly stuff and give credit where credit is due. By such an alignment of our destiny with that of the Psalmist’s God, we choose the winning team.
G.Goslaw
