"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 3 January 2017 with Scripture "For us, what love!" Psalm 29

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 3 January 2017 with Scripture "For us, what love!" Psalm 29
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"For us, what love!"
Psalm 29:(0) A psalm of David:
(1) Give Adonai his due, you who are godly;
give Adonai his due of glory and strength;
2 give Adonai the glory due his name;
worship Adonai in holy splendor.
3 The voice of Adonai is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
Adonai over rushing waters,
4 the voice of Adonai in power,
the voice of Adonai in splendor.
5 The voice of Adonai cracks the cedars;
Adonai splinters the cedars of the L’vanon
6 and makes the L’vanon skip like a calf,
Siryon like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of Adonai flashes fiery flames;
8 the voice of Adonai rocks the desert,
Adonai convulses the Kadesh Desert.
9 The voice of Adonai causes deer to give birth
and strips the forests bare —
while in his temple, all cry, “Glory!”
10 Adonai sits enthroned above the flood!
Adonai sits enthroned as king forever!
11 May Adonai give strength to his people!
May Adonai bless his people with shalom![Complete Jewish Bible
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"Who's in control?" That's the big question humans are plagued with since Adam and Eve! It starts early--even two-year-olds want things "my way." Ancient peoples were in awe, believing that God or their many gods were in control of nature to bring good or punishment. In the story of Jonah, the shipmaster pleaded to their many gods for safety from the great storm. And just in case, he also prayed to Jonah's one true God.
Today, even though believing in God as the one who rules the universe, we still rely heavily on our many securities--gross national product, banking advisors, technology, medicine, etc.--to keep us safe and in control. But still we're anxious. Psalms like this one provide help. Here the "voice of the lord" is repeated seven times, emphasizing that God is all powerful and in control. God's voice is translated in some versions as "thunder" it was the loudest sound ancients knew. They believed thunder was a display of God's sovereignty.
We glorify you, loving God, "For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever." Amen.
Corinne Chilstrom, ‘84
Retired; Green Valley, Ariz. 
Psalm 29:1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, "Glory!"
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace![New Revised Standard Version]
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