Our Daily Bread -- God’s World

April 19, 2015

Read: Psalm 24
Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 6-8; Luke 15:1-10

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness. —Psalm 24:1

I knew my son would enjoy receiving a map of the world for his birthday. After some shopping, I found a colorful chart of the continents, which included illustrations in every region. A birdwing butterfly hovered over Papua, New Guinea. Mountains cascaded through Chile. A diamond adorned South Africa. I was delighted, but I wondered about the label at the bottom of the map: Our World.

In one sense, the earth is our world because we live in it. We’re allowed to drink its water, mine its gold, and fish its seas—but only because God has given us the go-ahead (Gen. 1:28-30). Really, it’s God’s World. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein” (Ps. 24:1). It amazes me that God has entrusted His incredible creation to mere humans. He knew that some of us would mistreat it, deny He made it, and claim it as ours. Still, He allows us to call it home and sustains it through His Son (Col. 1:16-17).

Today, take a moment to enjoy life in God’s world. Savor the taste of some fruit. Eavesdrop on a bird and listen to its song. Revel in a sunset. Let the world you inhabit inspire you to worship the One who owns it. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Help me, Lord, to stop occasionally. To look, to listen, to taste, to think about the gifts You send for our enjoyment. Thank You for expressing Your creativity and love to me today.

The beauty of creation gives us reasons to sing God’s praise.

INSIGHT: “This sacred hymn [Psalm 24] was probably written to be sung when the ark of the covenant was taken up from the house of Obed-edom, to remain within curtains upon the hill of Zion” (Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David). David summons us to worship God as the Creator and Owner of all the earth (Ps. 24: 1-2), to live holy lives (vv. 3-4), and to submit ourselves to God as the Sovereign King of all creation (vv. 7-10). The worshiper who seeks God wholeheartedly is promised a blessing—he will be justified, accepted, and approved by God (vv. 5-6).

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