Seeing God Bigger 

I shared with you in a previous blog, God Meets Me at First Light, that led to Eric and me reading a Psalm every morning to guide our prayers. We have been doing this since January 1^st. God has been using His Psalter (book of Psalms used for singing praise) to not only transform my prayer life, but also teach me His character. The number one thing I am learning is seeing God bigger! I am becoming convinced my view of God is the key to living with the blessings of life He promised.  Love, joy, and peace become more actualized as learn about who God is.

Discovering God’s character

As I read the Psalms, words like rock, fortress, faithfulness, steadfast love as well as worthy of praise, to be feared, holy, and King jumped out at me over and over. These words emphasize God’s love and His truth in a marriage of perfect unity. In a time that emphasizes one or the other, God remains consistent to who He has always been. I struggle with understanding how truth and love or justice and mercy or holy wrath and grace can coexist until I see them perfectly married in the character of God. This is what the Psalter has done for me. God has used His Word to open my eyes to see Him as He truly is. Who God is, His character, is more than I can understand. The pursuit of the discovery is rewardingly challenging and comforting at the same time. And my response is to breakout into praise as I see God Bigger. 

Seeing God Bigger really started to take off when I was studying Romans in the Spring of ’23. I had studied this book a few times before, but it was like I was studying it for the first time. When I shared this with my pastor, Tom Richter, he said it was because every year we grow, we find God bigger. Then he quoted our mutual friend. 

“Aslan”, said Lucy. “You’re bigger.” 
“That is because you are older, little one,” answered he. 
“Not because you are?” 
“I am not, but every year you grow, you will find me bigger.” 

C.S. Lewis, Prince Caspian 

Heart Song: Cries of Praise from the Psalter

I have been finding God bigger ever since. Using the method from Praying the Bible by Donald Whitney, it takes about 5 months to pray through the Psalms. I am currently on my second time through and it is new to me all over again.  

That brings me to what’s next. I teach a Ladies Bible Study at our church on Wednesday evenings August through April, one study in the Fall and another in the Spring. As I was prayerfully contemplating what to teach, the Lord led me back to the Psalms. I tried to protest. Do we really need another Bible Study on Psalms? The Lord answered me as He continued to lead me in this direction. 

Lord willing, as I write a study on selected Psalms entitled, Heart Song: Cries of Praise from the Psalter, I will continue to tell my story here to include what I am learning in the study. I am confident I will not be improving upon any clearer understanding than what is prolifically already out there. What is unique is how God has used His Word in my life as He continues to grow my understanding. We all have a story and this study is but one chapter of mine as I chronicle the journey here. 

Cries for deliverance, vengeance, and hope

Some of the Psalms already have been used in my life to guide me through a particular season or suffering. Now, as I continue to study, I pray for guidance on what else to include. 

The Psalms that are cries from David to be delivered from his enemies or recognizing his own failures are prevalent. I don’t have anyone seeking my physical life that I know of. But I do wrestle with principalities of darkness that seek harm to my soul. When I read these Psalms I pray for protection from evil. David is a poor and needy mess. But his recognition of such is what renders him broken before the God he lavishes with praise. That’s how he concludes a Psalm and it spurs me on to do the same.  

I am particularly intrigued by the Psalms that are cries for vengeance because they force a little discomfort as they appear problematic to a Christian who believes all scripture is inspired by God and profitable. How could one reconcile this with instruction to bless those who curse you?  

Some of the Psalms are Messianic, meaning they foretell of the Christ. We often see the Greater David in the cries of the lesser as a picture of what is to come. God always had a plan to redeem His people. Therein lies our hope.  

It is my prayer that God uses this study to excite me to see God as He is. Bigger. Any other view is impoverished at best.  The result of which is to break out in praise for what He has done. May others see and fear and put their trust in Him.

The Lord‘s Faithfulness Endures Forever 

117 Praise the Lord, all nations! 
    Extol him, all peoples! 
²For great is his steadfast love toward us, 
    and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. 
Praise the Lord! 
Psalm 117 ESV