Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Monday, 22 December 2014 - Scripture: Psalm 96:1-3, 10-13

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Monday, 22 December 2014 - Scripture: Psalm 96:1-2 Sing God a brand-new song!
Earth and everyone in it, sing!
Sing to God—worship God!
2-3 Shout the news of his victory from sea to sea,
Take the news of his glory to the lost,
News of his wonders to one and all!
10 Get out the message—God Rules!
He put the world on a firm foundation;
He treats everyone fair and square.
11 Let’s hear it from Sky,
With Earth joining in,
And a huge round of applause from Sea.
12 Let Wilderness turn cartwheels,
Animals, come dance,
Put every tree of the forest in the choir—
13 An extravaganza before God as he comes,
As he comes to set everything right on earth,
Set everything right, treat everyone fair.(The Message)
"The Lord is coming." That's what the psalmist announces. The arrival is so close we can almost taste it. We are invited to sing and rejoice at the universal reign of God. The nations witness it. All of creation—heaven and earth, field and forest, sea and dry land—are called to join in praise of the Lord. This psalm is sometimes linked with God's return in glory to Zion after the exile. It speaks of God coming to judge the world in righteousness and truth. "The Lord is coming." Whether then or now, we wait and watch for signs of God's coming. We yearn for the day when God's kingdom will come in all its fullness and we will see the salvation of our God.
God our King, we wait for you in hope. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Amen.
Shelley Cunningham
Pastor, Zumbro Lutheran Church
Rochester, Minn. 
Master of Divinity , 1998
Psalm 96:1 O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples.
10 Say among the nations, "The Lord is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity."
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord; for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth.(New Revised Standard Version)
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