Week 18: Everlasting to Everlasting
Weekly Reading:
II Kings 24 - I Chronicles 18
Opening Prayer
Father God,
You are a joy to my soul. I praise You for Your power and might; for all You have created and for setting us free from bondage. You, Father, are my guide. Guide me today to see what You want me to see and to hear what you want me to hear.
Amen
Study
We go through Restaurant “M’s” drive-through quite a bit. It’s embarrassing to say, but at least once a week. Each time we go through, I try to encourage whoever is at the speaker to say please and thank you by overdoing it on my please and thank you. I try to be excessively cheerful in hopes of brightening their day. At times I think my expectations are just too high, as the response I get usually remains dull and lackluster. Almost as often, I go through the line at another chain restaurant, Restaurant “A”. The experience is a complete 180. I wonder if that’s why I’m OK with paying the higher prices? I’m told please and thank you and my pleasure; I feel important and valued.
When we have exceptional customer service or feel valued or important, we want to share the experience with others. David wants to share his experience with others. He sings God’s praises in I Chronicles 16:7 - 36. David wants to sing his thanks to God and tell the whole world about God‘s greatness. He wants everybody to sing to God, sing and praise Him, and rejoice to the world about God‘s power and might. David recalls the wonders that God performed, saving the children of Israel and remembering His covenant with Abraham. David talks of the struggles of the people of Israel; yet, he also speaks of how God made way for them in advance of their arrival. God protected his people. David further invites the whole world to sing the praises of the Lord; he talks about the idols of other nations and their lackluster performance, he talks about God‘s performance and his glory and majesty.
O nations of the world, recognize the Lord, recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth.
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting!
I Chronicles 16:28-33, 36 NLT
Everlasting to everlasting, as far back as time begins and beyond when time ends, that is who God is. God wanted us to feel his incredible love before we were born, continuing all of our years. Everlasting to everlasting.
It is a simple analogy, but we want to feel loved, we want to feel special, and we go out of our way to feel it. I will sit in a line of 50 people at Restaurant “A” gladly than the two people at Restaurant “M’s” because I am made to feel special and valued at one restaurant over another.
God wants us to feel special as well, and in David’s song, he talks about the covenant made with Abraham, the promise to keep his people as a special possession, to make them feel special, valued, wanted.
Before we were born, God chose each of us to be his special people.
“Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”
Jeremiah 31:3 NLT
Closing Prayer
Father God,
King David’s example of excitement and praise makes me want to offer up the same to You. Father, You are worthy of great honor and joy. I praise You today; You are holy. Praise You, Father. Everlasting to everlasting.
Amen
Homework
Think of times when you felt special
What was said or done to make you feel this way?
What can you do to make others feel special?
Pray that God helps you in your desire to make others feel special
