Series: Blessed Be
Psalm 113:6 ESV
Psalm 113:6 AMP
Philippians 2:8 ESV
Psalm 113:6 MSG
2 Chronicles 16:9a AMP
The mind of a child is a wondrous thing. One of the most fascinating elements of children is that if they are not impeded, they can believe and see the good in everything.
For example, think of a baby. From day one the baby trusts it’s mother and father. A baby does not look upon them and wonder if they can be trusted. Call that anything you want but for our purposes I’m proposing it’s love and trust.
That love and trust is in the baby that God created. Creator God gave the child everything it needs to thrive and survive.
God, who is everywhere at all times sees the child. God resides in heaven and God resides everywhere on earth. God is in the child.
Psalm 113:6 tells us, the Lord “who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?”
The literal Hebrew says ‘God humbled himself ((ham·maš·pî·lî) to behold (lir·’ō·wṯ) heavens (baš·šā·ma·yim) earth (ū·ḇā·’ā·reṣ).
So looking far down does not refer to the proximity of the location of God. The psalmist was instead referring to the character and nature of God.
Our human thought processes are often finite and I believe that’s why we came to believe (and speak of) God living in heaven. Theologically speaking that is not accurate. God does not reside only in heaven.
God resides everywhere.
God resides in the baby.
The baby does not choose to reject God because the baby doesn’t know how to reject God.
In addition to that, the baby is fully humble. The baby does not look upon it’s mother and father and choose to reject their affection.
Psalm 113:6 from the Amplified uses an interesting term to describe the very same character and nature of God. God is identified as the Lord, “Who humbles Himself to regardThe heavens and the earth?”
THE God, creator God of the heavens and the earth embodies humility as God looks upon creation.
That kind of humility is puzzling for humans.
It is not humility as we think of humility.
It is a voluntary act of acceptance.
Philippians 2:8 tells us that Jesus God, “being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
In Psalm 113:6 God humbled himself and in Philippians 2:8, God Jesus humbled himself.
In both cases it was a choice God made.
I love how the Message frames the humility of God :
The Message from Psalm 113:6 says the Lord surveys, “his magnificent heavens and earth?”
The Lord looks to and fro…
2 Chronicles 16:9a says, “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His.”
In Psalm 113:6 and 2 Chronicles 16:9a the Lord is looking (surveying) with a great purpose. First God looks for everything magnificent in all of creation.
So let’s suppose that if we choose to be God-like we could choose today to look for some part of God’s creation that gives us a reason to pause and be thankful.
Is it for the sunshine or the rain?
Is it for the last flowers of summer that are in bloom?
Or is it for the shade from the trees that soon will shed the leaves?
Your thankful attitude could also be for your ‘people’…your special group.
Today, I am thankful for my laughing ladies I sit with almost every day. They are so special, each in their own way. We come together from varied occupations and viewpoints. Our common element every day is the laughter we share.
We are no longer young women.
Our children are grown and many of us have grown grandchildren. From all walks of life we come and we marvel at another day and we are ever so grateful for the laughter!
Spiritual Practice: Gratitude
Choose at least one thing to be grateful for today.
Throughout the day, remember and thank God for the gift!
In God, Deborah
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