ANTHEM OF ANGELS

Today's Freedom Fighter is from REAL VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE -- 365 -
Daily Devotions. It is available from the Keswick Bookstore.

ANTHEM OF ANGELS

CAUSE FOR PRAISE

"The LORD is exalted above all the nations, His glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God - the One enthroned on high, who stoops
down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the
dust and lifts the needy from the garbage heap in order to seat them
with nobles - with the nobles of His people. He gives the childless
woman a household, [making her] the joyful mother of children.
Hallelujah! (Psalm 113:4-9)

In this descriptive praise psalm, two great themes will echo
for eternity through the halls of heaven: God's greatness (vv. 4-5) and
His grace (vv. 6-9).

God is great. There is no lord like our Lord. He is
unique, over all, above all. He sits enthroned on high (literally: "who
makes high with respect to sitting"). In this context, study the
magnificent lyric poetry of Isaiah 40:12-41:4. Our view of man tends to
be overblown and our view of God to be disproportionately small. When
our vision of God enlarges, our problems will shrink to size.

God is grace (unmerited favor). He manifests grace to us in
three ways:

First, from His exalted position in the heavens, He stoops
to survey all of creation. The greatest act of divine stooping would
come when God the Father emptied Himself by assuming the form of a
slave, taking on the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:6-7).

Second, God honors the poor and seats them with the
nobility. Our position in the heavenly community will not depend on
earthly status or recognition by our peers but on His grace.

Third, God settles the barren woman in her home "as a happy
mother of children." Sarah's miraculous pregnancy was the joy of the
ancient world (Genesis 18, 21). Hannah's humiliation was transformed
into jubilation (1 Samuel 2). These great ladies were the motifs
preparing for the grand theme of Mary, the Jewish peasant girl, who bore
the Messiah. This psalm links the song of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10) with
the Magnificat of Mary (Luke 1:46-55).

The psalm concludes with a final hallelujah - praise the
Lord! God's glory differs sharply from man's glory. Who is like the
Lord, our God? He is unique - equally at home above the heavens or at
the side of the lowliest and loneliest creature.

Personal Prayer

I praise you, Lord, for stooping to lift me up, for seating me at your
banquet table, and for settling me forever in your home in glory.

Dr. Don Wyrtzen

Scripture Reading: Habakkuk; Revelation 15

Have a great day IN CHRIST.