A cosmic hallelujah chorus
by Pastor Mark Lieschke
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Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendour is above the earth and the heavens (Psalm 148:13).
Read Psalm 148
Imagine the psalmist is a conductor with a huge orchestra or choir in front of him. Imagine that this orchestra or choir is the whole cosmos!
He begins by calling on the heavenly beings to praise the Lord. Then he calls on the heavens – the sky, sun, moon and stars – to praise the Lord. After that, he calls on the forces of nature and all creation on the earth, sea, storm, wind, mountains and the animal kingdom to praise the Lord.
And finally, he calls on all human beings, all classes, women and men, and people of all ages, to praise the Lord.
Can you imagine such a magnificent and awesome event? What a hallelujah chorus!
And why should they praise the Lord? Because he is greater than all, and (this is the most important point) because he, despite his greatness, has come down to his people to save them.
This great choir still exists and still praises God. And we are part of it! And we have even greater reason to praise him than our Old Testament counterparts. We sing our praises to and for the Lord, because in Christ, he has come near to us, nearer than at any time before. And he is still near us. He has table fellowship with us, who are sinners.
God is the greatest of all. And although he is above the heavens and the earth, he has come near to us and given us the most precious gift: his only Son.
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forevermore. Amen.
Mark Lieschke is a retired pastor living on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. He served in parishes in South Australia, New Zealand and New South Wales before being elected as bishop of the LCANZ’s NSW and ACT District. Mark enjoys spending time with family and friends, travelling, walking on the beach and relaxing.
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