Read
Psalm 135, 2 Samuel 7:18-29, Colossians 1:15-20 (NLT)
Psalm 135
Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord!
Praise him, you who serve the Lord,
you who serve in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
celebrate his lovely name with music.
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel for his own special treasure.
I know the greatness of the Lord—
that our Lord is greater than any other god.
The Lord does whatever pleases him
throughout all heaven and earth,
and on the seas and in their depths.
He causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth.
He sends the lightning with the rain
and releases the wind from his storehouses.
He destroyed the firstborn in each Egyptian home,
both people and animals.
He performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt
against Pharaoh and all his people.
He struck down great nations
and slaughtered mighty kings—
Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
and all the kings of Canaan.
He gave their land as an inheritance,
a special possession to his people Israel.
Your name, O Lord, endures forever;
your fame, O Lord, is known to every generation.
For the Lord will give justice to his people
and have compassion on his servants.
The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold,
shaped by human hands.
They have mouths but cannot speak,
and eyes but cannot see.
They have ears but cannot hear,
and mouths but cannot breathe.
And those who make idols are just like them,
as are all who trust in them.
O Israel, praise the Lord!
O priests—descendants of Aaron—praise the Lord!
O Levites, praise the Lord!
All you who fear the Lord, praise the Lord!
The Lord be praised from Zion,
for he lives here in Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!
2 Samuel 7:18-29
Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,
“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?
“What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.
“How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way. You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.
“And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever.And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.
“O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’ For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”
Colossians 1:15-20
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.
For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
Jesus Storybook Bible:
God to the Rescue (p.84)
Meditate
I know the greatness of the Lord—that our Lord is greater than any other god. (Psalm 135:5)
Pray
Lord Jesus, you are the same yesterday, today, and forever. Though we struggle with faithlessness, you remain faithful. Forgive us for seeking after the idols of our culture and being caught up in so much of the same sin. You alone have been obedient. Thank you for giving your life for ours and look upon us with mercy. Help us by Your Spirit to live as exiles in this world. Deepen our longing for your return. In your name we pray. Amen.
Take a moment to pray for others.
New City Catechism
Question 42: How is the Word of God to be Read and Heard?
Answer: With diligence, preparation, and prayer; so that we may accept it with faith, store it in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.
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