A Baby Changes Everything

Majesty Revealed 

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your Name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. – Psalms 8:1-2 (ESV)

There is a famous scene in Peter Pan. Peter is in the children’s bedroom; they have seen him fly, and they wish to fly too. They have tried it from the floor and they have tried it from the beds and the result is a failure. “How do you do it?” John asked. And Peter answered: “You just think lovely, wonderful thoughts and they lift you up in the air.” That sentiment is a little sappy but it also contains a measure of truth. The only way to defeat evil thoughts is to learn to think differently.

In Psalm 8, the psalmist has set his thoughts on God’s majesty found in His Creation. To say that God’s name is majestic or excellent is to say that God has excellent character. Perhaps he was gazing at the stars in heaven. But the psalmist’s consideration of God’s majesty revealed finds its crowning moment in babies and infants.

Reflection

Yesterday, we celebrated Mother’s Day. Part of God revealing His excellency was the gift of motherhood. In Philippians 4:8 the Apostle Paul writes, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” In what ways do you see God’s majesty revealed in His plan for motherhood?

Praise

Thank God for the gift of moms and babies. Thank Him for redeeming our imperfections as a way of showing His grace.

Strength Proclaimed 

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. – Psalms 8:1-2 (ESV)

As a crowded airliner is about to take off, the peace is shattered by a 5-year-old boy who picks that moment to throw a wild temper tantrum. No matter what his frustrated, embarrassed mother does to try to calm him down, the boy continues to scream furiously and kick the seats around him. Suddenly, from the rear of the plane, an elderly man in the uniform of an Air Force General is seen slowly walking forward up the aisle. Stopping the flustered mother with an upraised hand, the white-haired, courtly, soft-spoken General leans down and, motioning toward his chest, whispers something into the boy’s ear.

Instantly, the boy calms down, gently takes his mother’s hand, and quietly fastens his seat belt. All the other passengers burst into spontaneous applause. As the General slowly makes his way back to his seat, one of the cabin attendants touches his sleeve. “Excuse me, General,” she asks quietly, “but could I ask you what magic words you used on that little boy?” The old man smiles serenely and gently confides, “I showed him my pilot’s wings, service stars, and battle ribbons, and explained that they entitle me to throw one passenger out the plane door on any flight I choose.”

The psalmist reminds us in Psalm 8 that God has incredible power. God is bigger and stronger than Creation. Psalm 8:2 seems to have been some remarkable manifestation to one who was feeble and helpless as if God had ordained strength out of the mouth of babes and infants. It is not improbable that in this the psalmist refers to himself as having been, though conscious of weakness and helplessness, the means of overcoming the enemies of God, as if God had ordained strength through him, or had endowed him with strength not his own.

Reflection

God has chosen to provide His followers with the power we need to defeat our enemies. Sometimes we are carrying thoughts on board that we need to throw off the plane. What are some sinful patterns of thinking you struggle to get rid of? Pray and ask God to help you identify things you can do to change your thinking and ask Him to give you the power to change.

 Praise

Praise God for the ways you’ve experienced His power at work in you in the past. Thank God for His promise to defeat our sinful enemies.

Care Displayed

When I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? – Psalms 8:3-4 (ESV)

Charles Spence was a Baltimore Ravens season-ticket holder, and he thought taking his seven-year-old daughter to a game would be a good bonding experience. But once there, she found the food vendors much more enticing than what was taking place on the field, so he bought her one kind of junk food after another. As the fourth quarter began, the Ravens were far behind, and much of the crowd had already left. One seat down, though, sat another season-ticket holder. “I’m surprised you’re still here,” Spence said to him during a timeout. “I can’t bear to leave yet,” the fan replied. “I’ve got to see just how much one little girl can eat.”

A good parent cares for and feeds their children. In Psalm 8, the psalmist is moved by the depth of God’s care for him. The ultimate fulfillment of this Psalm is found in Jesus in Hebrews 2:9 which says, “But we see Him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” God has not only provided for our physical needs, He has provided for our spiritual needs in Christ.

Reflection

Most of us like to eat. The Bible often uses the analogy of eating to illustrate how desperately we need God to survive. An old Indian Christian was explaining to a missionary that the battle inside of him was like a black dog fighting a white dog. “Which dog wins?” asked the missionary. “The one I feed the most,” replied the Indian. The Bible says, “Feed your mind on the pure truth of God’s Word.”  Do you have a habit of reading the Bible? If not, it would be a great way to allow truth to help take care of your soul. The Bible app has lots of great studies. You can also reach out to your small group leader or other Christian friends and ask for help getting started.

Praise

Thank God for the ways He has cared for you recently. Thank Him for feeding your soul.

Glory Given

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. – Psalm 8:5 (ESV)

Years ago, there was a famous explorer named William Beebe. He was a good friend of President Theodore Roosevelt. Often when he visited the President at Sagamore Hill, the two men would go outdoors at night to see who could first locate the Andromeda galaxy. Then, as they gazed at the tiny smudge of distant starlight, one of them would recite, “That is the spiral galaxy of Andromeda. It’s as large as our Milky Way. It is one of a hundred million galaxies. It is 750,000 light years away. It consists of 100 billion suns, each larger than our sun.” Then Roosevelt would grin and say, “Now I think we are small enough! Let’s go to bed.” (7,700 Illustrations, Paul Tan [Assurance Publishers], #2213.)

Yet, despite our insignificance, God has crowned us with “glory and honor.” The psalmist has considered the majesty of God displayed in His creation and is moved to worship God. He is amazed that God has given us “glory and honor.” James Boice writes, “This is an effective way of identifying man with God and of saying that he has been made in God’s image, reflecting God’s glory in a way other parts of the creation do not.”

Reflection

Romans 3:23 reminds us, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” None of us live up to God’s standard of glory. It was for this reason that Jesus came and died for our fallen nature. Jesus also makes it possible for us to eventually experience the glory and honor God intends for us in heaven.

 Praise

Praise God for giving you a place of honor in His Creation. Thank Jesus for becoming for you what you could not become on your own.

Dominion Given

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, – Psalm 8:6 (ESV)

There was an actual eBay listing for a 1962 Ford Thunderbird Convertible. It had 5,487 original miles. It was in perfect showroom condition. A man called about it and he asked the seller why it had such low mileage. The answer? The owner had lost the key in 1963.

When God made man, He gave him the keys of dominion over Creation. God expected man to steward the world He made. Steven Cole wrote, “Man, since the fall, has accomplished some remarkable feats in gaining dominion over Creation. Think of all of the wonders of modern science, including the advances in medical science. And yet, all of these accomplishments are tainted by sin. Proud man boasts in them and does not acknowledge that the ability to discover scientific facts has been given to him by God. Like the builders of the Tower of Babel, proud modern man uses his scientific breakthroughs to proclaim his independence from God. With a few more breakthroughs, we can cure all our diseases and live forever! But science cannot reconcile us to God. So what did God do? He sent His own Son, the Son of Man, to provide the sacrifice for our sins and to fulfill Psalm 8 in a way that we cannot.” (Steven Cole)

Reflection

God gives all of us areas of responsibility. What are some of those areas of responsibility God has given you? Are you managing those areas with a sense of gratitude and honor?

 Praise

Praise God for the design of Creation. Thank God for giving you everything you need to do everything He wants you to do.