In Psalm 65:6 the Psalmist tells God “you are the one who formed the mountains by your power.”
Reading this recently, I thought of the Palisades of the Hudson River. I grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey where the Palisades, at the eastern edge of our town, are the most dramatic natural feature.
Earth scientists tell us that amazing geological shifts formed the Palisades. Regardless of exactly how and when these changes occurred, I know they show the outworking of God’s might.
Isaac Watt captures that might in his hymn I sing the mighty pow’r of God:
I sing the mighty pow’r of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.
Yet this sweeping and majestic powerful God of the universe is not hands-off and remote:
You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it. (Psalm65:9)
Our mountain-forming God provides food and harvests and gives us our daily bread. It is easy to lose sight of that truth in this day of high-tech agriculture on far away farms. But why does agrobusiness even work? It’s still due to God’s power.
And this God who created the mountains and provides our food is a personal God who answers prayer and takes care of our sin problem!
You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.
When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions. (Psalm65:2,3)
Best of all is how he invites us to live under his care:
Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts! (Psalm 65:4)
What a privilege to be invited to live as one of God’s people! Yes, this mighty God who made the Palisades is the same God who walks with us and talks with us and dwells with us in the person of Jesus.
Merry Christmas !
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Kenny B's World 