"Appointed for Them"

“He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight. The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.” (Psalm 104:5-8 ESV)

Have you ever thought of the egocentric nature of sin? Consider this: in six days, God created everything. The depth of this statement is often overlooked. In today’s verses, the Psalmist wrote some of the details of the creation narrative, and when we meditate on it, we begin to grasp not only the depth of creation but the arrogance of human sin.

God createdEx Nihilo, meaning God created from nothing. In God’s eternal existence, it was void of anything, not matter particles, not cells, no life, a complete emptiness. In His love, God displayed His creativity. He made light; darkness was removed. God formed the sky and the celestial bodies, placing each one into its orbit, ordering how, when, and where to move and never altering from His command and direction. They did.

He created the earth covered with water. He then ordered the land to rise above the sea, and it did. He told the sea, “You will come to this point and not further.” The land obeyed and exalted the Lord. The sea bowed down and worshiped God. God then ordered the mountains to rise and the valleys to lie low, and the mountains glorified in elevated worship and the valleys lay prostrate in obedience.

God then created life in the form of plants in many kinds. He told the plants to grow and provide. The plants waved in worship, obeying the Lord. Every animal was created, and God told them to multiply, and they did. They glorified the creator in obedience. Soon, creation was filled with wonder and love of God.

God decided to create humans in their own image. So, God did, and man was born from the dust. God told man I will make a female partner for you so you will not be alone. God did. God did all this out of love for His creation and the desire to create.

Then God says to man both then and now, “Come to me and obey”, and the human says…NO. What arrogance humankind has. What disrespect for the authority of God. What an ego the human has to think it has the power to override the commands of God, its creator. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” (John 13:16). 

Despite our enormous ego and depraved nature, God continues to save. His elect come to recognize the power and sovereignty of God. They fall prostrate in repentance and devotion and come to believe and come to faith in their Savior, Christ Jesus.

Are you still saying no to God? Has your sin and ego blinded you to the power of your creator? Christ said: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Fear God, for He is the one with all the power; if He is calling you, run to Him. Come to know the peace and grace of Jesus Christ. He is not all we need. He is all we have.

Grace and Peace.