“Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” 7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.” Genesis 1:6-8 NKJV
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:4-6 NKJV
God Almighty,
A look at the second of ten times You spoke in creation and Your second commandment.
So a separation. Water and firmament. Modern translations looking at biblical Hebrew call firmament, ‘an expanse, a space’. Like sky and atmosphere being poured out. I had not thought of it before but it makes sense. Atmosphere and space was needed to put everything into!
If man had been there . . . would some of them have worshiped sky and some of them water. Would there have been religious division, distrust even war? And would some still have missed You, God, the creator? But then You chose to give us free will to think and choose.
We see through history and today, society worshipping, people, money, power, fame even shoes, but not You. Something, somebody becomes their idol.
But it is not for us to judge. We ned to ensure we do not think more of anything, anyone more than You. We can make no image of You because there is nothing You made anything like You. You are beyond our understanding. We may have been made in Your image (Genesis 1:27) but not with You power, majesty and glory!
Sky, air and water are the basics of life. You created, You gave us life, the very breath we breathe. We thank You for creation and worship You our creator.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Lord Almighty,
We pray:
For all those we know and love and even those we struggle with. Our church family and the church fellowships around us and all those working in them for the good of their neighbourhood.
For our our local council, the employers, the employees and the economical health of our area.
For Gaza and the Middle East a way to safe ground, peace and away from extremism. Global peacemakers.
For Russia, Putin and His driving forces to be turned away from conflict to end war in Ukraine.
For ongoing help, relief and comfort for those hit by the earthquakes in Afghanistan, and for those in the devastated areas in Libya and Morocco. For the stretched aid and medical agencies.
For our world, for solutions to pollution, rubbish and the things we do that harm it.
For our Government. For our King and His working royal family. For their family rifts to be healed.
For ourselves, for todays grace to be good, to do good and to know You with us.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Wednesday 18th October 2023
Above all powers, above all kings
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began
Above all kingdoms, above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There’s no way to measure what You’re worth
Crucified, laid behind a stone
You lived to die, rejected and alone
Like a rose, trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all
Lyrics: Paul Baloche, Lenny Leblanc