Advent & Lenten Devotions by Goshen College students,
faculty, & staff – Tuesday, 24 December 2013 – “God’s dominion promises
freedom” by Ammon Allen-Doucot, a sophomore Bible and religion major from
Hartford, Conn.
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 148: Praise for God’s Universal Glory
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the
heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his
host!
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you
shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above
the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and
they were created.
6 He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds,
which cannot be passed.[a]
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea monsters and
all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling
his command!
9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all
cedars!
10 Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and
flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers
of the earth!
12 Young men and women alike,
old and young
together!
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is
exalted;
his glory is above
earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his
faithful,
for the people of
Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 148:6 Or he set a law that cannot pass away(NRSV)
DEVOTIONAL:
This week’s theme is “Out of Egypt,” which plays into the
overall theme of the mystery of God’s dwelling. In my faith life, there has
never been a doubt that of all the places one can find God, the most
conveniently located is within our own bodies. Even so, it is not always easy
to see the Holy Spirit hiding behind our eyes, wrapped around our tongue, or
supporting our hands, and yet it is there.
Psalm 148 exalts not only God’s omnipresence, but the authority
of God over things like beasts in the depths, the moon and sun, the stars and
the rulers of the earth. “Out of Egypt” is a reference to the enslavement of
the Hebrew people before Moses led them to freedom in Exodus.
So with that in mind we can take a look at what enslaves us,
whether it is a grudge against one another, or material desires that distract
us from wealth of the spirit, or even a growing apathy that comes from a weary
soul that has been working too long without rest, we must see and know God’s
dominion. God’s dominion that exists over the very stars in the sky. God’s
dominion that will last longer than flawed human institutions. God’s dominion
which led a people from enslavement and promised them paradise. God’s dominion
which holds us now and promises freedom from all that which enslaves us.
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 148 (NRSV)
Praise for God’s Universal Glory
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host!
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and they were created.
He established them for ever and ever;
he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling his command!
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and women alike,
old and young together!
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!(NRSV)
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Goshen College
1700 South Main Street
Goshen, IN 46526. United States
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