God at Work (7)

The works of the LORD are great,
Studied by all who have pleasure in them. Psalm 111.2

Delight and pursue
What we delight in, what gives us pleasure and joy, we tend to seek. The more efficient our seeking, the more pleasure and delight we will know, and the more joy we will experience.

Our psalm anticipates that those who remember the works of the Lord and respond to them by giving thanks and making His works known will take pleasure and find delight in God’s works of creation, providence, and redemption.

As delight in God’s works increases in us, we will set aside more time, and discover more effective means for seeking Him in His works, to know the experience of wonder, beauty, power, and love He brings to us. Indeed, you may even now be asking, in the hope of knowing such delight, “How, then, can I get to know the works of God better?”

Our text says that the works of the Lord are “studied” by all those who delight in them. While that’s a fair translation of the Hebrew word, it doesn’t quite capture its full meaning. The word is literally, pursued. The works of the Lord are pursued by those who delight in them, not just to learn about them or merely to know what they are, but to experience, possess, and, if it were possible, even to inhabit them. Those who find pleasure in the works of God want to do those works with Him, sowing the field of the world in a wide variety of works, to bring forth fruit of glory to the Lord.

That’s the sense of the word here. If we would know more delight by remembering the works of the Lord, responding with thanksgiving, and speaking to others about them, then we must prepare, make a plan, and follow the path of pursuing God’s works with greater diligence and consistency (Ps. 90.12, 16, 17).

Begin with the Word
But how does one do that? Let me suggest two aspects to an approach of pursuing the works of the Lord that can give us a greater understanding and appreciation of God’s splendor, majesty, and faithfulness, and that, as we respond by giving thanks and talking with others, will cause our delight in God and His works to grow.

First, begin with the Word of God. Let the Scriptures teach you how to understand the works of the Lord. We have seen that one psalm, Psalm 111, contains a wealth of instruction about God’s work, which we have only barely considered. How much more must there be throughout the Scriptures to guide us in pursuing the works of the Lord and the delight that awaits us as we remember them?

Start a notebook or a journal. Create pages for each of the works of the Lord – creation, providence, redemption – and jot down passages of Scripture, and your response to these, that come to you through your daily reading and study of God’s Word. Return to these passages again and again, mediating on the works of God as Scripture presents them. This will prepare you for remembering and participating in those works throughout the day.

Get out in the world
One of the lessons of Scripture concerning the works of God is that He speaks to us about Himself and His will in them, as we have seen. As we grow in our understanding of God’s works from His Word, we’ll want to pursue those works at first hand, to remember and engage them, discover the pleasure God has for us in them, and allow His works to further teach and equip us for serving Him in our part of His field.

Thus, second, we should all engage in some pursuit of God’s works through study – reading, reflecting, experiencing God’s works at first hand, and sharing with others. Find a study partner, someone who is equally excited about pursuing God’s works, and make a plan for reading, sharing, and encouraging one another in different aspects of the works of God.

Select one of the three works of God for particular study. You may want to read a book like Augustine’s City of God in order to explore the relationship between providence and human history and culture. Perhaps your interest is in understanding better God’s work of redemption. You might study the history of Christian hymnody, to see how God’s people have understood and celebrated the work of Christ in previous generations. Encourage one another as you study to make His finished work of redemption more personally your own. You may choose to go on a field trip together to consider some aspect of God’s work of creation – to a museum, perhaps, or out in the woods or along a beach. Be sure to observe carefully and talk much about what you see of God in His works.

Whatever you choose to do, whether alone or with a study partner, leave time for prayers of thanksgiving, and devise some means whereby you might share with others the delight you experience in pursuing the works of God. Solomon tells us that God has “concealed” His glory in the works of creation, providence, and redemption. Our task and privilege is to study and pursue God’s works, to uncover that glory and make it known to the world (Prov. 25.2; Hab. 2.14; 1 Cor. 10.31).

As we do, the fascination and allure of the works of this secular and unbelieving age will grow strangely dim and unappealing, or will take on new meaning, against the backdrop of the larger and all-pervading, splendid, majestic, faithful, wondrous, beautiful, powerful, wise, and loving works of God.

For reflection
1.  What Scriptures come to mind as a good place to start in learning more about the works of God? Jot them down.

2.  What subject areas of the works of God interest you? How can you make time in your weekly schedule to begin pursuing the works of God?

3.  Why is it so important that Christians remember and pursue the works of God?

Next steps – Preparation: How will you begin “pursuing” the works of God more consistently? Make a plan, then ask one or two of your Christian friends to join in it with you.

T. M. Moore

For a more developed view of the Kingdom, and of the Gospel of the Kingdom, order a copy of our book The Kingdom Turn (click here) or The Gospel of the Kingdom (click here).

A free PDF of this week’s study is available by clicking here.

We look to the Lord to provide for our needs, and He does so through those who are served by this ministry. Please prayerfully consider becoming a supporter of The Fellowship of Ailbe with your financial gifts. You can send your tax-free contribution to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452, or use the Contribute button at the website to give with a credit card or through PayPal.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.