Psalm 135 emphasizes many aspects of God’s character. The reader is called to praise and take comfort in these attributes of God’s character. My booklet “God’s Attributes” is a reflective devotion taking you through 16 attributes of God and may be a useful follow up for members of your Sunday School class or home group.
“Whatever the Lord Pleases, He Does” Psalm 135:6
God is free. That thought may first bring more fear than peace. Like the children in The Chronicles of Narnia, we ask, “Is Aslan (representing Christ) a safe lion?” The Bible chuckles as the beavers did and reply, “No, he is no tame lion (God), but he is good.
How do we try to control or place claims on God? When we get angry at God what does that reveal about what we think of God’s freedom? How would God be different if He were not free? How would our life be different if God answered to something other than his own pleasure (character).
Application: As you read your Bible and pray, resist the temptation to try to figure out how to make God do what you want. Read to know God for who He is and pray for the faith to trust the God who is free.
We Become Like Who/What We Worship
Psalm 135:18 contains one of the great principles of change: “We become like who/what we worship?” We can use this principle looking forward or backwards. (1) We can ask—looking backward—how have I changed over the last year? From this we will see the nature of who/what we have worshipped? (2) We can ask—looking forward—what is most important to me at this time? From this—if we assess our hearts accurately—we will discern what we are becoming.
Use the following reflection questions (that reveal objects of worship) to help you assess yourself. As Christians, we know we should worship Christ and become more like him. However, unless we do the hard work of examining our own heart we may be disappointed in what we are becoming.
- What do you spend most of your time doing, especially your “free” time?
- When you face a challenge who do you want to talk to most?• When you are stressed where or in what do you seek comfort?
- What subjects do you enjoy talking about the most?
- What angers you most easily or most intensely?
- For what purchases/expenditures are you most willing to sacrifice?
- When, where, or with whom do you most naturally “lose yourself”?
- When you surf the internet what do you look for?
- When you daydream what is the common theme of the ideal outcome?
- What kinds of things do you find to be entertaining or funny?
As you have reflected on these questions, take the time to look forward and backwards. How are the answers shaping you? What changes need to be made to make these pursuits more God-centered and, thereby, make you more Christ-like?