Remembering God as God

Our inclination as humans is to bring the almighty God down to our level--or even the level of a worthless idol.  Though God created mankind in His own image, we can adopt a concept of God that is very much like ourselves.  Our lack of faith in God as He has revealed Himself in Scripture results in us colouring God by our own weakness and inability.  Worse than that, we can assume He agrees with and approves of our sin.  Crazy, right?  But God rebuked His people for this very thing.

God said to His people who did wickedly in Psalm 50:16-21:  "But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, ¹⁷ seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you? ¹⁸ When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have been a partaker with adulterers. ¹⁹ You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit. ²⁰ You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son. ²¹ These things you have done, and I kept silent; you thought that I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes."  The actions of God's people showed they thought He was like them, yet God did not consent to thieves or a partaker with adulterers.  He did not speak evil or deceive anyone.  While people slandered their brother, God remained silent.  God broke His silence with rebuke because they had not walked in His ways.

Another way those who believe in God's existence reduce Him to the level of an idol is to think that because we are entitled to benefits by what we have done to honour Him.  I recently read an article on the worship of Apollo which suggested that after greeting the god with as many names you can, to remind the god of all the good things you have done for it.  After making your request, it was appropriate to make a promise of what you will do when the favour is granted.  I wonder if this does not resemble some of the prayers people make to the LORD of Hosts who has graciously given us life!  This is how we naturally operate:  doing unto others as they have done to us, to help others we deem worthy.  Our natural inclination is to be legalistic in kindness doled out to others, for God's grace that springs from His goodness is a foreign concept.

The song concludes in Psalm 50:22-23:  "Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver: ²³ whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God."  Blessed is the man who remembers and honours God as He is revealed in His word.  Freely we have received all good things from God, and we ought to praise Him freely for all the good He has already done and for His faithfulness now and forever.  The testimony of scripture affirms that the one whose faith in God is demonstrated by obedience to Him will experience God's salvation which He freely offers to everyone by grace.  Through Jesus Christ and the covenant in His own blood Isaiah 52:10 has been fulfilled:  "The LORD has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God."