I've been thinking lately....(Don't worry, I'm ok)...
God is glorious:
I've been thinking about the glorious God of the Bible. Think on Him. There are several ways Psalm 145:5 can be translated, though the 'golden rule' of hermenutics - Scripture can't mean what it never meant - tells us that only one is correct. Since Hebrew scholars don't agree on which translation is best, and each is wonderful, I'd like to think with you about two of the options.
God is glorious:
I've been thinking about the glorious God of the Bible. Think on Him. There are several ways Psalm 145:5 can be translated, though the 'golden rule' of hermenutics - Scripture can't mean what it never meant - tells us that only one is correct. Since Hebrew scholars don't agree on which translation is best, and each is wonderful, I'd like to think with you about two of the options.
- On the glorious splendor of Thy majesty and on Thy wonderful works I will meditate.
- On the majestic splendor of Thy glory and on Thy wonderful works I will meditate.
Before you read on, notice the different emphases. Stephen F. Olford once told me, "When good, conservative, Bible-believing scholars disagree on the translation of a verse, both are true. God is just trying to say a lot of stuff in a little space." Not sure that would pass in a seminary class, but I like it.
Option #1: The emphasis is on the glorious splendor of the majesty of God. Meditate! Think, think, think hard, about what you've sung many times. "Majesty! Worship His majesty. Unto Jesus, be all glory, honor and praise." How majestic is He? Think about the verse. His majesty is glorious. But there's more! His majesty is more than glorious. His majesty is so glorious that it is splendoriously glorious (No, that's not a word, but our God is indescribable with human vocab - which is precisely the reason the Apostle Paul made up words too). "How majestic is Your name in all the earth!"
Option #2: The emphasis is on the majestic splendor of the glory of God. Meditate! Think again, think hard, think now. How glorious is God? Majestically glorious (not a new word). But more than majestically glorious! Splendoriously majestically glorious! How glorious is that? At least worth thinking about! Join the Psalmist and vow, by the grace God supplies, to think on the majestic splendor of His glory.
Additional Emphasis: The Psalmist vows to meditate on two things: (1) Who God is; and (2) What God does. Suffice it to say that eternity will be just about enough time to exhaust those two categories. Start now.
Charnock is helpful:
I've been thinking about the gift that Charnock has been to my life. He came at just the right time. I'd be delighted if our SC Reading Group tripled in size. I believe as many as will take the time to read his Christ Crucified (with or without us) will be the same number of people better for it. Charnock helped right a wrong in my journey toward Christlikeness. The 'wrong,' you ask? I can't remember the last time the beauties of my crucified Savior caused my eyes to well with tears because my heart was filled with joy. That's wrong. Thanks to Charnock, I can now easily remember the last time; it was the last time I was reading his book. Oh to know nothing save Christ and Him crucified!
Church Planting is life-giving:
I've been thinking about God's work in calling forth life out of nothing. That's what He did in creation and in Ezekiel's vision, what His Spirit continues to do in regeneration, and what God is now doing with Grace Church. I do not mean by the title of this sub-section that we are giving life to Grace Church, but that God is giving life to Grace Church, and subsequently the calling on our lives is being confirmed in that He is also giving life - a opposed to zapping life - to Bryan, Nathan, and myself. May God receive His well deserved glory from this new church start.
My family is a gift from the Lord:
I've been thinking about the joy with which I rejoice before God on account of my family (See I Thess. 3:9). I love them all very much! To all who are married, love your spouse. To all who have kids, love your spouse and your kids. To all who are single, use your freedom for the glory of God alone as you love God vigorously and trust His kind and wise bestowment.
Thinking is good:
Just because we happen to live in a day when thinking is not in vogue, think anyway. You never know, it might not hurt after all.
Option #1: The emphasis is on the glorious splendor of the majesty of God. Meditate! Think, think, think hard, about what you've sung many times. "Majesty! Worship His majesty. Unto Jesus, be all glory, honor and praise." How majestic is He? Think about the verse. His majesty is glorious. But there's more! His majesty is more than glorious. His majesty is so glorious that it is splendoriously glorious (No, that's not a word, but our God is indescribable with human vocab - which is precisely the reason the Apostle Paul made up words too). "How majestic is Your name in all the earth!"
Option #2: The emphasis is on the majestic splendor of the glory of God. Meditate! Think again, think hard, think now. How glorious is God? Majestically glorious (not a new word). But more than majestically glorious! Splendoriously majestically glorious! How glorious is that? At least worth thinking about! Join the Psalmist and vow, by the grace God supplies, to think on the majestic splendor of His glory.
Additional Emphasis: The Psalmist vows to meditate on two things: (1) Who God is; and (2) What God does. Suffice it to say that eternity will be just about enough time to exhaust those two categories. Start now.
Charnock is helpful:
I've been thinking about the gift that Charnock has been to my life. He came at just the right time. I'd be delighted if our SC Reading Group tripled in size. I believe as many as will take the time to read his Christ Crucified (with or without us) will be the same number of people better for it. Charnock helped right a wrong in my journey toward Christlikeness. The 'wrong,' you ask? I can't remember the last time the beauties of my crucified Savior caused my eyes to well with tears because my heart was filled with joy. That's wrong. Thanks to Charnock, I can now easily remember the last time; it was the last time I was reading his book. Oh to know nothing save Christ and Him crucified!
Church Planting is life-giving:
I've been thinking about God's work in calling forth life out of nothing. That's what He did in creation and in Ezekiel's vision, what His Spirit continues to do in regeneration, and what God is now doing with Grace Church. I do not mean by the title of this sub-section that we are giving life to Grace Church, but that God is giving life to Grace Church, and subsequently the calling on our lives is being confirmed in that He is also giving life - a opposed to zapping life - to Bryan, Nathan, and myself. May God receive His well deserved glory from this new church start.
My family is a gift from the Lord:
I've been thinking about the joy with which I rejoice before God on account of my family (See I Thess. 3:9). I love them all very much! To all who are married, love your spouse. To all who have kids, love your spouse and your kids. To all who are single, use your freedom for the glory of God alone as you love God vigorously and trust His kind and wise bestowment.
Thinking is good:
Just because we happen to live in a day when thinking is not in vogue, think anyway. You never know, it might not hurt after all.
On the glorious splendor of Thy majesty and on Thy wonderful works I will meditate!
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