Embracing God's Majesty: Stewardship, Praise, and Lament

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing God's Majesty in the Ordinary

Psalm 8 invites us to see the majesty of God in both the ordinary and extraordinary moments of life. Whether it's a sunset, a symphony, or the laughter of children, these experiences draw us closer to the divine. Recognizing God's majesty in these moments helps us to live with a sense of awe and gratitude. This perspective encourages us to slow down and appreciate the beauty around us, acknowledging that every good thing is a reflection of God's glory. By doing so, we cultivate a heart of worship and a deeper connection with our Creator. [21:10]

Psalm 19:1-2 (ESV): "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge."

Reflection: Think of a recent moment when you felt a sense of awe or wonder. How can you intentionally recognize and celebrate God's majesty in your daily life today?

Day 2: Embracing the Duality of Praise and Lament

The Psalms teach us that our relationship with God encompasses both praise and lament. While we celebrate God's goodness, we also have the space to express our deepest sorrows and struggles. This honest dialogue with God strengthens our faith and helps us navigate the complexities of life. By acknowledging both the highs and lows, we develop a more authentic and resilient faith. This duality reflects the human experience and our relationship with God, allowing us to bring our whole selves before Him. [25:43]

Psalm 42:11 (ESV): "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are currently struggling? How can you bring this struggle to God in an honest prayer of lament today?

Day 3: Stewardship Over Dominion

We are called to be stewards of God's creation, not dominators. This means caring for the earth and all its inhabitants with wisdom and humility. Our role as stewards is a sacred trust that requires us to act responsibly and ethically in all our endeavors. By viewing our dominion as stewardship, we recognize that we are caretakers of God's creation, entrusted with its well-being. This perspective challenges us to make choices that honor God and reflect His love for all He has made. [29:13]

Genesis 2:15 (ESV): "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it."

Reflection: Consider one way you can practice better stewardship in your daily life. What specific action can you take today to care for God's creation?

Day 4: Navigating the Ethical Implications of Innovation

As we advance technologically, particularly with artificial intelligence, we must consider the ethical implications of our creations. Our stewardship extends to how we manage and utilize these innovations, ensuring they align with God's purpose and the well-being of all creation. This responsibility calls us to think deeply about the impact of our actions and to seek wisdom in our decisions. By doing so, we honor God and contribute to a world that reflects His values and love. [31:12]

Proverbs 2:6-8 (ESV): "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints."

Reflection: How can you apply ethical considerations to your use of technology today? What steps can you take to ensure your actions align with God's purpose?

Day 5: Trusting in God's Purpose and Power

Despite the challenges and uncertainties we face, we are called to trust in God's purpose and power in our lives. This trust is rooted in the recognition of God's majesty and our role as stewards. By keeping God at the center, we find our true place and purpose in the world. This trust empowers us to face difficulties with confidence, knowing that God is in control and has a plan for our lives. It also encourages us to live with a sense of purpose, seeking to fulfill the role God has given us. [34:23]

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV): "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust God's purpose more fully? How can you take a step of faith today to align with His plan?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

In today's sermon, we explored the profound themes of praise, majesty, and stewardship as reflected in Psalm 8. We began by recalling the simple yet powerful words of the psalm, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth," and how these words have resonated with us from childhood to adulthood. This psalm invites us to recognize the majesty of God in various contexts, from the beauty of nature to the innocence of children.

We delved into the dual themes of praise and lament found in the Psalms, acknowledging that while praise is a dominant theme, the Psalms also provide a space for honest lament and struggle. This duality reflects the human experience and our relationship with God. We discussed how Jesus himself quoted Psalm 22 from the cross, expressing a deep sense of abandonment yet ultimately reaffirming God's dominion and faithfulness.

The sermon also touched on the concept of stewardship. We are reminded that while we are given dominion over creation, this dominion should be understood as stewardship. We are entrusted with the care of God's creation, and this responsibility calls us to act with wisdom and humility. The words of Eugene Peterson were invoked to illustrate how even the simplest expressions of praise from children can silence the noise of the world and refocus our attention on God.

We also reflected on the contemporary challenges we face, such as the rapid advancement of technology and artificial intelligence. These developments compel us to think deeply about our role as stewards of creation and the ethical implications of our innovations. The sermon concluded with a call to remember our place in God's creation, not as insignificant beings but as stewards with a significant role to play. We are encouraged to trust in God's purpose and power in us and to rejoice in the majesty of God's name.

###

Key Takeaways

1. being of all creation. [31:12]
5. Trusting in God's Purpose and Power: Despite the challenges and uncertainties we face, we are called to trust in God's purpose and power in our lives. This trust is rooted in the recognition of God's majesty and our role as stewards. By keeping God at the center, we find our true place and purpose in the world.

### [31:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[21:10] - The Majesty of God
[25:43] - Praise and Lament in the Psalms
[27:28] - Eugene Peterson's Insights
[29:13] - Stewardship Over Dominion
[31:12] - Ethical Implications of AI
[32:19] - The Edge of History
[33:13] - Psalm 22 and Jesus' Lament
[34:23] - Trusting God's Purpose
[35:34] - Nicene Creed
[38:51] - Prayers of the Congregation
[44:01] - The Lord's Prayer
[49:16] - Communion
[54:00] - Closing Prayer
[62:03] - Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What are some examples of God's majesty mentioned in Psalm 8? How do these examples help us understand the greatness of God? ([21:10])
How does Psalm 22 reflect both lament and trust in God? What specific verses illustrate this duality? ([25:43])
According to Job 13:15, what is Job's attitude towards God despite his suffering? How does this verse contribute to our understanding of faith in difficult times? ([27:28])
What does the term "stewardship" mean in the context of Psalm 8, and how does it differ from "dominion"? ([29:13])

Interpretation Questions

How does recognizing God's majesty in everyday life, as described in Psalm 8, influence our daily actions and attitudes? ([21:10])
In what ways does the duality of praise and lament in the Psalms reflect our own spiritual journeys? How can this duality strengthen our relationship with God? ([25:43])
What are the ethical implications of being stewards of God's creation, especially in the context of modern technological advancements like artificial intelligence? ([31:12])
How does trusting in God's purpose and power, as emphasized in the sermon, help us navigate contemporary challenges and uncertainties? ([34:23])

Application Questions

Think of a recent moment when you experienced the majesty of God in your daily life. How did this experience impact your sense of awe and gratitude? ([21:10])
Reflect on a time when you felt the need to lament before God. How did expressing your sorrow and struggle affect your faith and relationship with Him? ([25:43])
In what ways can you practice stewardship in your daily life? Identify one specific action you can take this week to care for God's creation with wisdom and humility. ([29:13])
As we advance technologically, how can you ensure that your use of technology aligns with God's purpose and the well-being of all creation? What ethical considerations will you keep in mind? ([31:12])
How can you cultivate a deeper trust in God's purpose and power in your life? Identify a specific challenge you are facing and consider how trusting in God can help you navigate it. ([34:23])
How can you balance the dual themes of praise and lament in your prayer life? What practical steps can you take to ensure that your prayers reflect both your joys and struggles? ([25:43])
Reflect on your role as a steward of God's creation. How can you involve your family or community in practicing stewardship together? What specific projects or initiatives can you undertake? ([29:13])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "So much of our culture so much of our own personal energy I hate to say it but we're going to be honest about the mirror that we look into tries to put ourselves at the center of the universe it is so hard to not get sucked into that way of living it has been a part of the human condition from the beginning that we want to put ourselves at the center of the universe and the beautiful thing about praise the beautiful thing about these psalms is it reminds us that it puts god at the center god is at the center of the universe and it puts us in our place." [27:28] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "We have a potential that we've never had before to be stewards of God's creation. We spent a lot of time creating, producing things that advanced us and created all kinds of destruction. This is the first time in history we're going, wait a minute, we've got to think through some things. We've got to use these brains God gave us to think through the whole piece organically." [32:19] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "My prayer is that whatever your memory is that brings you back to the majesty of God and helps you remember your place, not a place of servitude, not a place of obscurity, but a place of importance and stewardship in God's creation with God at the center, may we remember the majesty. May we trust God's purpose and power in us, and may we rejoice. Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth." [34:23] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "God, we thank you that somehow in the mystery of this sacrament, the majesty of you comes to us in the broken bread, in the cup poured out. Lord, may we always remember the power of your grace in our lives. And may we in turn go out and be bread for a hungry world. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen." [54:00] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "When we start to go in that direction that we see again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again in scripture right when peter says to jesus the first time turn away from me i'm a sinful man i'm not worth being in your holiness and yet the psalm proclaims god has made us a little lower than angels what was god thinking god has made us a little lower than angels crowned with glory and honor we are given dominion we are given authority we are given agency we are given creativity we are given the capacity to impact well beyond our own place in the universe." [29:13] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "That psalm that Jesus said from the cross, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? One of the most poignant words in scripture, words that if you haven't cried them out in your soul, you will. Trust me. I don't know if you've ever read through the whole psalm. It's really powerful, the movement of that psalm, because it's this honest, heartbreaking lament and yearning for God. And yet, listen to how it wraps up. For dominion belongs to God. God rules the nations and all creation. To God, indeed, all who sleep in the earth bow down before God shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him." [33:13] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We have shown ourselves very capable of letting our creations get well out of our hands right i don't know why this week but i spent so much time talking about ai about artificial intelligence about this amazing technology that as we speak may be running beyond our own intellectual capacity how do we understand it part of god's creation is it separate from God's creation this week at camp we're going to be looking at the theme of time ken our youth director has been spending a lot of time thinking about the different eras of human history and about how in each phase God's presence is more and more revealed God's purpose is more and more revealed even as we seem like we're kind of on the edge." [31:12] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "So much of our culture so much of our own personal energy I hate to say it but we're going to be honest about the mirror that we look into tries to put ourselves at the center of the universe it is so hard to not get sucked into that way of living it has been a part of the human condition from the beginning that we want to put ourselves at the center of the universe and the beautiful thing about praise the beautiful thing about these psalms is it reminds us that it puts god at the center god is at the center of the universe and it puts us in our place." [27:28] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We have a potential that we've never had before to be stewards of God's creation. We spent a lot of time creating, producing things that advanced us and created all kinds of destruction. This is the first time in history we're going, wait a minute, we've got to think through some things. We've got to use these brains God gave us to think through the whole piece organically." [32:19] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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