We are now just past the half way point in the countdown to Christmas. Our home is all decorated with lights and it is bursting with joyful anticipation of the celebration to come. I really love all of the seasons in the year, but I really enjoy this time of year the most. My favorite part is the glow of the Christmas tree at night. There is just something so special about the glimmer it has when the lights are low and the house is quiet. It is strangely comforting during this season of hustle and bustle to end the day with the tree on and the kids asleep. It gives me pause to remember that He is the light of the world, and at the end of the day Christ really is all that matters. Everything else will eventually fade away, but His love endures forever as we see in Psalm 136. What a beautiful reminder. Let’s just mull over these verses and reflect on who God really is as we get to see some pieces of His mighty character spelled out in these words:
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Sea[a] asunder
His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever.
17 to him who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance to his servant Israel.
His love endures forever.
23 He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
24 and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
25 He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
As I read this I am reminded of just how amazing our Lord is; how vast his love for us is, how wide his grace and mercy are, I am just in awe. He chose us as His children to glorify Him and share His good news with this fallen world. What a task that is! Even more than that, what comfort we can take in the gift of being able to approach His throne with boldness, grace, and mercy; and that He will hear us.
Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Ephesians 3:12 “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.“
Father, you are so good to us. Even though love that endures forever seems such a foreign concept to our human minds, we believe that this is true of your character and your ways. Your love endures forever. Thank you for allowing us the ability to approach your throne without fear. To come to you in times of need and also in times of praise and thanksgiving. You have given us such a priceless gift in this ability and we pray it would not be taken for granted and instead it would be used in a powerful way to bring glory to your name. May we believe in the prayers we pray, may your power work through our broken vessels and may we live in a way that will show your light to this fallen world. Thank you for always hearing our prayers, and answering them according to your will, and always in your time. In Jesus name, Amen.
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