Bible League: Living His Word Who is like the LORD our God, Who dwells on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and in the earth?— Psalm 113:5—6 NKJV The Lord God, one might say, is outside the box. If, metaphorically, the creation is a box, then the Lord is outside the box. The earth, and all it contains, is inside the box. The physical heavens and all they contain are inside the box. And, although our verse for today has only the physical heavens in view, the spiritual heaven (the "third heaven" of 2 Corinthians 12:2) is inside the box as well. How so? It's because the Lord God created it too, including all the angels. Hence, there isn't anything like the Lord God. Everything else is a mere inside—the—box creature. He alone is the outside—the—box Creator. The Lord God dwells on high. Psalm 8:1 says, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth, who have set your glory above the heavens!" He dwells above the earth and above the physical heavens in the spiritual heaven. There was a time when the Lord God also dwelt on the earth. He used to walk in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8). And there will come a time when He will once again dwell on the earth. His presence will come down to earth with the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1—3). For now, however, the Lord God's manifest presence dwells in the spiritual heaven. The Lord God is so high and lifted up that He must stoop just to observe the creatures below. Indeed, our verse for today says that He must humble Himself in order to behold His creatures in the earth and the physical heavens. It's not just because of our sin that He must humble Himself. It's also because He is so far above everything He has made. The Creator of all things must lower Himself in order to interact with them. Why does He do it? Why bother with that which is so far beneath Him? Isn't it obvious? He does it because He cares about what He has made (see Psalm 104). How should we respond to all this revelation? We should respond in the way the psalmist responded earlier in the chapter. We should praise Him. We should praise and bless His name "from this time forth and forevermore"! Praise the Lord! Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingEzekiel 1, 2, 3 Ezekiel 1 -- Ezekiel's Prophecy at Kebar; The Visions of Four Figures and Divine Glory NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Ezekiel 2 -- Ezekiel's Calling and Instruction NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Ezekiel 3 -- Ezekiel Eats the Scroll; Warning to Israel NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Hebrews 9 Hebrews 9 -- Christ has Entered into the Holy Place Once for All NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.Insight Have you ever grown tired of praying for something or someone? Paul says we should “devote” ourselves to prayer and be “alert” in prayer. Our persistence is an expression of our faith that God answers our prayers. Faith shouldn't die if the answers come slowly, for the delay may be God's way of working his will in our lives. Challenge When you feel tired of praying, know that God is present, always listening, always answering—maybe not in ways you had hoped, but in ways that he knows are best. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Luke 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.If ever one of woman born might have lived without prayer, it was our spotless, perfect a Lord, and yet none was ever so much in supplication as he! Such was his love to his Father, that he loved much to be in communion with him: such his love for his people, that he desired to be much in intercession for them. The fact of this eminent prayerfulness of Jesus is a lesson for us--he hath given us an example that we may follow in his steps. The time he chose was admirable, it was the hour of silence, when the crowd would not disturb him; the time of inaction, when all but himself had ceased to labor; and the season when slumber made men forget their woes, and cease their applications to him for relief. While others found rest in sleep, he refreshed himself with prayer. The place was also well selected. He was alone where none would intrude, where none could observe: thus was he free from Pharisaic ostentation and vulgar interruption. Those dark and silent hills were a fit oratory for the Son of God. Heaven and earth in midnight stillness heard the groans and sighs of the mysterious Being in whom both worlds were blended. The continuance of his pleadings is remarkable; the long watches were not too long; the cold wind did not chill his devotions; the grim darkness did not darken his faith, or loneliness check his importunity. We cannot watch with him one hour, but he watched for us whole nights. The occasion for this prayer is notable; it was after his enemies had been enraged--prayer was his refuge and solace; it was before he sent forth the twelve apostles--prayer was the gate of his enterprise, the herald of his new work. Should we not learn from Jesus to resort to special prayer when we are under peculiar trial, or contemplate fresh endeavours for the Master's glory? Lord Jesus, teach us to pray. Daily Light on the Daily Path 2 Kings 4:26 "Please run now to meet her and say to her, 'Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?'" And she answered, "It is well."2 Corinthians 4:13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak, 2 Corinthians 6:9,10 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, • as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. 2 Corinthians 4:8,9,10,16,18 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; • persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; • always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. • Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. • while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 John 1:2 for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. 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