Is there any greater display of power than the power it takes to raise the dead to life? For the earliest believers, it had to be a jolt just to be close to the power displayed in Jesus.
That mighty "lightning bolt" has been seen and heard through the centuries and can be seen and heard still in the lives of Jesus-followers today.
That's good news; especially if you're in need of a jolt of God's power today.
Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy. For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, a great king over all the earth. He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm.
Psalm 47:1-7
How do we honor a king or queen? Last year, Great Britain pulled out all the stops to honor Queen Elizabeth II during her Diamond Jubilee. The festivities included pageants, receptions, a floating parade down the River Thames, and a rooftop concert at Buckingham Palace. All these celebrations honored the formal ruler of sixteen nations on the sixtieth anniversary of her coronation.
The Diamond Jubilee was a spectacular celebration watched by millions around the world, but it pales in comparison to the celebration that today’s psalm describes. People rejoice over the Lord with applause, shouts, songs, and trumpets. They praise God for subduing enemies and making peace, ruling the entire earth for the good of God’s people.
Perhaps the most surprising praise given to this King is not the celebration of triumphs and blessings, though. Tucked amid these praises, we are told why God did all these wonders. God took action because of love. The great and awesome King is a compassionate ruler who loves the people, protecting, preserving, and providing for each one.
Joshua Hays
God, you are a great King, and you are also a loving Lord. I celebrate you today because you’re worth it! May you receive greater praise than any king, queen, or celebrity, because you are both Creator and Savior. Amen.
Feel the power that rises beneath you,
Raising you up to embrace the life
That God intends for you to know.
Carry yourself, then, with humble confidence,
Aware that it is the very hand of God
That holds you upright and alive.