Small Thing, Great God

“King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, ‘Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?  And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O Lord God!  And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant.  For your servant’s sake, O Lord, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.  There is none like you, O Lord, and there is no God besides you…  And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and awesome things..?  And you made your people… to be your people forever, and you became their God. ²³ And now, O Lord, let the word that you have spoken… be established… and your name will be established and magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts… is Israel’s God,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you… Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you. O Lord, you are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you, for it is you, O Lord, who have blessed, and it is blessed forever.'” 1 Chronicles 17:16-27

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
    and the son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
    and crowned him with glory and honor.” Psalm 8:3-5

David was the youngest of eight sons, and grew up feeling small: the least of the family, the lone shepherd in wide pastures keeping sheep from big animals, the speck under the stars, the boy against the giant. His early years awakened his awe at the infinite greatness of God, and it never failed to humble him in wonder and gratitude. Because of his security under God’s wide grace and promises, he found confidence in their ongoing communion. (1 Samuel 16:10-13; 17:4-7,12-14,33-37)

In the grand scheme of the universe, we are all small, dots in a crowd, dashes on a timeline who serve a mighty, large God. If we begin to puff with pomp, careless in comfort or materially successful, it is good to contemplate Him to remind ourselves of our place. God knows us. He is God and we are not. All we have and are comes from Him; we are merely stewards of time and resources and spiritual gifts to be employed in His service. (Romans 11:36; Colossians 1:15-17)

How can we more effectively humble ourselves and magnify the Lord? What rights, what push, what demands or self-glory in us need to decrease so He can increase? When and how are we familiarizing ourselves with His great gifts and promises, and growing in humble, dependent confidence of faith? Every claim on His greatness exalts His glory. (John 3:30)

Lord, in attitude and action, may I ever lift high Your greatness.