The Infinite Creator of Life

04 Monday Dec 2023

Tags

abundance, created, creation, Creator, infinite

Reading: Psalm 104:10-18
He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.
They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
The birds of the sky nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for people to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:
wine that gladdens human hearts,
oil to make their faces shine,
and bread that sustains their hearts.
The trees of the LORD are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the junipers.
The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the hyrax (NIV). *

November butterfly — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Psalm 104 is a poetic ode in praise of God’s creation. In yesterday’s reading, God lay down the foundations of the earth, and set the boundaries of the oceans. Today we see how He waters the land and covers it with vegetation. He populates it with a vast variety of animals and birds.

He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.

In this psalm we see a God of teeming abundance. He is an extravagant God of infinite variety. Consider for a moment the various kinds of birds from the soaring eagle to the tiny hummingbird. Our God cares for them all. Jesus gives us these words of assurance concerning the humble sparrow, “not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care” (Matthew 10:29). In reality, all of today’s reading is about the Father’s care and His rich provision for all His creatures.

Have your eyes been opened to the LORD’s rich provision for you? He’s not a stingy God. Those who call on Him will have their needs met. Perhaps David said it best: The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing (Psalm 23:1).

Response: Father God, you created such a wonderful world! I marvel at your handiwork. I thank you for the great variety of lifeforms on this planet—the plants, the birds, the animals. Help us appreciate and safeguard your creation. Amen.

Your Turn: How can we go beyond words of thanks and demonstrate our thanks for God’s creation? Is there something tangible you can do?

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

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Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. TheElishaCodeCVR5

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Who May Ascend?

03 Sunday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 24, Psalms

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Tags

blessing, mountain, praise the LORD, the LORD

I will praise the LORD!

Photo by vishal amin on Pexels.com

Reading: Psalm 24:1-6

Of David. A psalm.

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters.
Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
    Who may stand in his holy place?
The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
    who does not trust in an idol
    or swear by a false god.
They will receive blessing from the LORD
    and vindication from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face, God of Jacob. *

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

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The Shepherd’s Psalm

02 Saturday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 23, Psalms

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Tags

comfort, green pastures, shepherd, the LORD

I will praise the LORD!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Reading: Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
    forever. *

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

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More than Magnificent

01 Friday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 104

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Tags

heavens, Light, Prayer, the LORD

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 104:1-9

Father God,
you are very great!
I kneel before you, my awesome God!
I praise you for your creation.
It is magnificent
because you are more than magnificent.
All praise belongs to you.
Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

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Wrapped in Light

01 Friday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 104

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Tags

creation, Light, magnificent, majesty, praise the LORD

Reading: Psalm 104:1-9
Praise the LORD, my soul.
LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent
and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.
He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.
You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.
You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth (NIV). *

The LORD wraps himself in light — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
All of Psalm 104 is a poetic ode in praise of God’s creation. Like the previous psalm it begins and ends by calling us to praise the LORD.

The psalmist begins his description of creation at the beginning. By that I mean he begins with the LORD in the heavens. He is the source point. It’s a very fitting start since the LORD called into being all of creation—all that we can see, hear, and examine. In the creation account we read, “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:2). But here we read a more detailed—a more poetic description: The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.

The God of the heavens separates the waters of sky and earth. He establishes the boundaries of the oceans. These are the events of the second and third day in the Genesis account, but here they are portrayed as a seamless whole. In all this, the LORD is the actor, the mover, the sole performer. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.

And what a performance this is! It has no equal and no precedent. Land, sky, and sea are His handiwork and do His bidding. They respond to the Master Builder, and so should we.

Response: LORD God, you are very great! I kneel before you, my awesome God! I praise you for your creation. It is magnificent because you are more than magnificent. All praise belongs to you. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you enthralled by nature? Is there a particular aspect of creation that you are drawn to or enjoy, for example the stars, the oceans, or the animal kingdom?

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

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Genuine Worship

30 Thursday Nov 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 103

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Tags

Jesus, Lover, Prayer, worship

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 103:19-22

Father God,
I appreciate the free will that you have given me.
I choose to worship you.
You are the lover of my soul.
Thank you for all you have done.
I owe my life to you, Jesus.
Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

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Ruling Over All

30 Thursday Nov 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 103

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Tags

Creator, free will, kingdom, rule, the LORD

Reading: Psalm 103:19-22
The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, my soul (NIV). *

Montebello sunset — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Have you ever found yourself in a chaotic situation where you immediately ask this question, “Who’s in charge here?” Sometimes I have walked into an unruly classroom where that question is very pertinent. The teacher may be nowhere in sight or is absorbed with one or two students while bedlam reigns all around. It takes very little to lose control of thirty twelve-year-olds. Trust me on this point: It takes a range of skills to get a class of youngsters motivated and moving in the same direction.

Today’s reading from the psalms gives us an answer to that age old question, “Who’s in charge here?” The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

So there is your answer. The LORD is in charge here. He’s in charge of everything—the orderly and the controlled, and the seemingly random. Above this world and its mixture of order, routine, bedlam and chaos, the LORD sits enthroned as ruler overall.

Often the LORD is blamed for the bedlam and the chaos, but is that a fair assessment? Yes, He could control everything—every detail, but then there would be no humans on this planet—no free moral agents. To be human is to have the ability to choose both good and evil. If God sovereignly decided that we could only do good, then we would be robotic humanoids—not true humans at all.

Can there be true love if love is enforced from on high rather than freely chosen? Can there be genuine worship, if this divine privilege is induced by the Creator rather than willingly offered by the created? No, the LORD calls for our worship, but He forces it on no one. The God I serve is not a rapist; He is a true lover.

So, I will freely join with all creation to praise Him. I will join the angels, the heavenly hosts and all his works everywhere in his dominion. I will join in praising my Creator and my Redeemer, who was born in a stable and raised high to suffer on a cross, but now His throne is established in heaven and His kingdom rules over all. He is the One I will praise. How about you?

Response: Father God, I appreciate the free will that you have given me. I choose to worship you. You are the lover of my soul. Thank you for all you have done. I owe my life to Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Do we choose God, or does He choose us, or are both answers correct? How has choosing to worship God changed you?

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

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Astonishing Compassion

29 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 103

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Tags

compassion, creative, power, Prayer

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 103:13-18

Father God,
you are matchless in creative power.
There is none like you.
Your compassion is astonishing.
Your grandeur is beyond my ability to even imagine.
I love you, LORD.
I bow in awe.
Amen.

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

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He Remembers That We Are Dust

29 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 103

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

astronomers, compassion, eternal, infinite, stars in the universe

Reading: Psalm 103:13-18
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts (NIV). *

Photo by brenoanp on Pexels.com

Reflection
Last week I heard a news report that stated that new research has led astronomers to realize that there are ten times more stars in the universe than they previously estimated. A minor miscalculation you may assume. Not really!

Our own Milky Way galaxy contains about 400 billion stars of varying sizes. The most recent astronomical estimate counts 170 billion galaxies in the observable universe. To do a rough calculation of the total number of stars in the universe, you multiply 400 billion stars X 170 billion galaxies and get a number with twenty-five zeroes tacked on the end. Now that’s astronomical!

So how does that ginormous number connect with today’s reading from Psalm 103? It tells us the LORD’s concern and care for us are nothing short of astounding. The God who created all that vast array of stars cares even for you and me. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

Dust… We are nothing more than dust. From dust we were formed and to dust we will return. (See Genesis 3:19.) Yet despite our humble origin and our body’s grave fate, we have a God who has the compassion of a father for his children. Furthermore, this care and compassion is not fleeting; it’s eternal. Our time on earth may be transitory, but God’s love for us persists. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

Why would a God of such infinite capacity commit Himself to a creature of such miniscule significance? The LORD is mind-boggling; God is completely mind-boggling! You can see it in the stars. You can count it in the grains of dust—dust that the LORD loves!

Response: Father God, you are matchless. There is none like you. Your compassion is astonishing. Your grandeur is beyond my ability to even imagine. I love you, LORD. I bow in awe. Amen.

Your Turn: How big is your God? How tiny are you before this awesome God? How does knowing his love make you feel?

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

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Love, Mercy, and Grace

28 Tuesday Nov 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 103

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Tags

grace of God, love, mercy of God, Prayer

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 103:7-12

Father God,
because of your love, mercy, and grace,
I want to serve you.
Please accept my feeble attempts at loving you back.
Your forgiveness leaves me with a debt of love
I cannot pay.
Amen.

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 24:1-6

Of David. A psalm.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from “Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer” by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 104:1-9

Father God, you are very great! I kneel before you, my awesome God! I praise you for your creation. It is magnificent because you are more than magnificent. All praise belongs to you. Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from “Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer” by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 103:19-22

Father God, I appreciate the free will that you have given me. I choose to worship you. You are the lover of my soul. Thank you for all you have done. I owe my life to you, Jesus. Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from “Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer” by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 103:13-18

Father God, you are matchless in creative power. There is none like you. Your compassion is astonishing. Your grandeur is beyond my ability to even imagine. I love you, LORD. I bow in awe. Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from “Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer” by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 103:7-12

Father God, because of your love, mercy, and grace, I want to serve you. Please accept my feeble attempts at loving you back. Your forgiveness leaves me with a debt of love I cannot pay. Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Father God,
you are very great!
I kneel before you, my awesome God!
I praise you for your creation.
It is magnificent
because you are more than magnificent.
All praise belongs to you.
Amen.

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Father God,
I appreciate the free will that you have given me.
I choose to worship you.
You are the lover of my soul.
Thank you for all you have done.
I owe my life to you, Jesus.
Amen.

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Father God,
you are matchless in creative power.
There is none like you.
Your compassion is astonishing.
Your grandeur is beyond my ability to even imagine.
I love you, LORD.
I bow in awe.
Amen.

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Father God,
because of your love, mercy, and grace,
I want to serve you.
Please accept my feeble attempts at loving you back.
Your forgiveness leaves me with a debt of love
I cannot pay.
Amen.