Dr. Marc Drake, Sr. Pastor, Sun Lakes Baptist Church
“Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.” These words from Psalm 111:2 reveal that God performs works and that His works are great. Furthermore, we are to delight in them, which leads us to study them. In the same psalm we are told that God’s work is full of splendor and majesty and that He has caused His wondrous works to be remembered. So, how well do you know the magnificent and awe-inspiring works of the Lord? How often do you marvel over them? Do you call His great works to mind repeatedly as a result of consistently reading the Scriptures? The psalmist certainly knew the many deliverances God had brought about for Israel. In fact, he knew the details so well that he could joyously proclaim them hundreds of years after those deliverances occurred.
This leads me to say that since God is sovereign and active in the affairs of this world and guides history to its divinely appointed end, it makes sense that we would keep ourselves aware of people, events, geography and history. But our interest in these matters is not to be merely academic or to satisfy our curiosity. No, the reason we give attention to all of this is because it helps us better see how God is working throughout the earth. And the more we observe His works (which are full of splendor and majesty), the more we will give Him the praise due His name!
Christian journalist Joel Belz has said that our instinct should not so much be to ask, “I wonder what’s happening today,” as it is to ask, in effect, “I wonder what memorable things God is doing today.” He says, “In a profound way, the difference between those two expressions boils down to whether or not a person has a God-directed heart of praise.” Also, our joy in God and praise of Him spills over to others as we communicate His glory and power. So if we are marveling with other people over a magnificent sunset, then we should express thanks to God rather than uttering some response about the work of Mother Nature. If we are discussing the Grand Canyon, we can speak of it as the indescribable handiwork of God, rather than simply suggesting that the Colorado River formed the canyon over millions and millions of years. Obviously, God gets the praise when we point others to Him rather than to random chance. In fact, for those who know their Bibles, random chance doesn’t stand a chance! After all, Isaiah 46:10 says that God is the one “declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’”
Yes, as we ponder the mighty works of God, we are moved to wholeheartedly praise Him all the more!