Finishing Psalm 8 study

 

Another important "take away" from our studies in Psalm 8 is that we should teach our children (or grandchildren, or nieces or nephews....you get my drift!) to love, fear (reverence) and serve God as the only way to make our lives here on earth count.

So many young people today are especially troubled. They wonder if there is any real significance to their lives. They question what they are "here for." When we have a close relationship with Jesus Christ, our lives are not only important, they have eternal significance!

 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,  while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (II Corinthians 4:16-18)

The wonder and majesty of God's creation should inspire us to be good stewards of what He has made. Modern folks may worship the creation, and not the Creator, but we should not neglect the fact that we are stewards of the environment. We should be examples of how to balance the needs of mankind and the preservation of the environment. 

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)

Although Ezekiel was given this message for the prophets who had fallen down on the job, these verses give us a good picture of our responsibilities to the animals and habitats of the earth:

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered.  (Ezekiel 34:2-5)

Psalm 8 also reminds us that we should take pleasure in whatever work God gives us to do.

 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:7-8)

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)

I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.  That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)

And lastly, make certain that we enjoy our Father God through His creation: get up from the couch and at least look out the window! If you are able, take a walk. Take a hike. Enjoy the wonders that He has made!