Read Psalm 148:1-6. 1Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! 2Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! 3Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! 4Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! 5Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created. 6And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away
In ancient times and still today people have looked to the heavens for answers. I don’t mean to God, but to the stars and to angels. But the angels, the sun, moon, and stars, were all made to worship God, not to be worshiped. The star pointed the way to Christ, not the other way around. The angels announced the salvation of Jesus’ birth, Jesus never announced and angelic interlude.
Why not? Because all creation serves Christ. The creator Christ.
Our life in Christ places us somewhere between the rest of creation and Christ. We are like the angels and the sun, moon, and stars in that we were made to glorify God, serve, him, reflect him, declare him. And yet we are far above all other creations in that we alone image God by the indwelling of God. This special privilege is reserved for mankind only. And only those who are in Christ.
And yet somehow we have failed to even come close to the praise that is offered to Christ by the sun, moon, and stars. Day after day, night after night, nothing can stop their declaration. But those who have gained the most from Christ still fail to glorify his name the most. Of all God’s creation we are the only ones that are not singing in tune with the creation choir. Rather we complain, compare, and castigate. I doubt the moon ever asked, “Why can’t I be the sun?” No, he just does what he was made to do – reflect the sun.
Can we do the same? Do what we were made to do? Reflect the Son? To live is Christ?
Prayer. Jesus, you are worthy of all praise, but I tend to just get lost in my own little world rather than see my place in yours. Teach me to reflect you as I simply do what you made me to do – love you and others. Amen.
To Live is Christ 