Fall 2018, 40 Days of Prayer, Day 9
“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth and their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. Its rising is from one end of the heavens, and its circuit to the other end of them; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19:1-6
The Heavens Tell Us about the Glory of God
The heavens are continually telling their story. They “live” to tell it. Their story is simple, “God is glorious.” In some ways, the stars function the way a masterpiece functions. When you go to a famous art gallery and look at the paintings of the great artists in history – Monet, Rembrandt, Peter Rubens – you can see the intricate details of the painting, details like the color selection, the depth, the passion of the topic communicated through each brush stroke. The great works make us think of the greatness of the artist. Rembrandt was simply brilliant as an artist. Some of his works recount significant moments in history with such vibrancy that they bring the observer into direct contact with the subject matter, like the artist is still sitting in the room recounting the events as they paint. The gifting of the artist allows us to travel back in time in order to see and feel the passion of the event that as it has been captured on canvas. All human artists, all creative painters, reflect a mere shadow of the substance that comes from God Himself. Rembrandt is like a mist compared to the torrent that comes from the ultimate master artist, God Himself. His canvas is the heavens. His paint is the stars. The beauty of the stars captures the passion and significance of a distant moment in the past and brings that moment into the present as if we are watching over the shoulder of God as He says, “Let there be light.” Like the great masterpieces, the heavens communicate more about the artist than the art itself. The beauty of the stars in and of themselves would be sufficient for a lifetime of study. However, this is not the primary purpose for the stars. Instead, the stars drive us back in time and space to the original and greatest Artist. His canvas is the heavens and His paint is the beauty pouring forth from His creative words. He speaks and the universe dances to His will. He speaks and galaxies form, powerfully declaring “look to our master artist and see how great He is.” God is glorious. He is also gracious to allow us to see a glimpse of His beauty through what He has made.
Prayer Focus
Thank You God for Your creation. Thank You for making Your glory known to us. Thank You for the continual artwork hung in such a way as to allow us to see the greatness of Your power. Help me today to function like the stars in the heavens. Help me to declare Your glory both day and night. In the name of the Creator and Master Artist I pray, Amen.
From Sermon on Justification by Faith by John Wesley
"To him that does not work, but believes on him that justified the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness." Romans 4:5.
Who are they that are justified? And the Apostle tells us expressly, the ungodly: "He (that is, God) justifies the ungodly;" the ungodly of every kind and degree; and none but the ungodly. As "they that are righteous need no repentance," so they need no forgiveness. It is only sinners that have any occasion for pardon: It is sin alone which admits of being forgiven. Forgiveness, therefore, has an immediate reference to sin, and, in this respect, to nothing else. It is our "unrighteousness" to which the pardoning God is "merciful:" It is our "iniquity" which he "remembers no more." God justifies not the godly, but the ungodly; not those that are holy already, but the unholy. Upon what condition he does this, will be considered quickly: but whatever it is, it cannot be holiness. To assert this, is to say the Lamb of God takes away only those sins which were taken away before.