Psalm 96 – Explore His Glories
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. (Psalms 96:5-6)
We love activities that provide exploration, escapism, and enchantment. We daydream about traveling and adventuring to new places (imago dei characteristics). We love a good story, book, movie, or video game that transports us to a different world with different rules. Fictional and fantasy genres that electrify our imagination. Quests for other worlds, epic battles of heroes and villains fighting with limitless abilities. Our culture is enchanted by things like Comic Cons, Fortnite, Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Harry Potter series, and Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Disney and Pixar movies.
This strong attraction for fantasy and wonder is really an indicator of a deep longing in our soul. CS Lewis understood this about humanity as he said, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” After the Fall of humanity, when we turned against its maker, sin disenchanted the world. And ever since our soul has been craving for more than what this fading world has to offer.
That is why it is intriguing to read about this writer of Psalm 96, who is completely captivated. It’s almost as if he’s been transported from earth and taken to another world. Perhaps while he was spending time with God in the sanctuary, the two worlds collided, and he found himself standing before the throne of God. Psalm 96 describes his exploration of the glories of God, we were created to know. And that’s why Christianity is really a quest to know the most electrifying intimacy and power, in the Person of God. Jesus prayed to the Father that we would get to be enchanted by what he knew (Jn. 17). He prayed that we would one day escape this world, and experience the one to come. And so, maybe instead of clicking to another Netflix show, or turning to another chapter of your favorite fictional narrative, or turning on your game system. Maybe try and turn to the concluding pages of the Bible in Revelations 20-22. And explore another world that’s waiting for you. Then dream, envision, and cling to God’s promises of the eternal glories to come!
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