The light of the sun touches all of the Earth’s surface at some point. At the North and South Poles it may be only for a short time, but the sun gets there. Psalm 19 celebrates the all encompassing exposure of the light:
[The sun] rises at one end of the sky and travels to the other end, and nothing escapes its warmth.
[v.6 The Inclusive Language Bible: The First Egalitarian Translation]
Just as all of the Earth is touched by the sun’s light, so the domain of God is all-encompassing. There is no place that is not part of God’s dominion, God’s realm, God’s influence and purview. There is nothing that can be outside of God or beyond God.
This concept of the all-pervasive presence of God applies not just to the external world, but also to our individual lives and our life together as a community and a society. God is part of all of it. Present in everything. When we celebrate the guidance of God for our lives, that means all of our lives, not just certain parts. Living by the values of compassion, care of others, care for the earth, respect for life, justice, fairness, generosity, these things apply in every aspect of our lives, not just some areas of our lives. The values and ethics that we learn from our faith apply for us in the workplace, in school, and in our community involvement. They apply to our friendships, family relationships, and our sexual behavior. They apply to how we raise our children. They apply to our play, our reading, and our entertainment choices. They apply to our church involvement, our citizenship commitments, and our politics. They apply to how we use our time and energy, and to what we eat and drink. They apply to how we treat our bodies and our healthcare decisions. And, yes, you knew it was coming, they apply to how we spend our money and allocate our finances. Divine decrees as we learn of them through Jesus apply to every aspect of our lives, individually and as social creatures.
As the sun bathes all of the earth in light, so God’s commandments encompass all aspects of our lives. The more we give over to God, the more we let God have dominion over our entire lives, the more free we are. Take some time to think about your life in all its dimensions. Look for where you see consistency with the will and way of God. Are there areas that you still need to turn over to God?
Prayer
Divine love permeates all of creation. The entire universe is testimony to the all-encompassing care and creativity of God. There is nowhere that God is not present. We give thanks that God seeks to be part of all aspects of our lives. May we partner with God in all that we do thus finding joy and delight for ourselves while blessing the Earth with love. Amen.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 