Come and See!

Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!

Psalm 66:1

Psalm 66 celebrates God’s glory as it is revealed in his mighty works. This celebration is meant, not just for Jews, but for the whole earth (66:1).

Yet how are those who have not known the Lord to perceive and praise his glory? We find an answer in Psalm 66:5, where the Psalmist says to all peoples: “Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!” Then the psalm gives examples of God’s deeds, focusing most of all on the events of the Exodus. The final verses of the psalm (16-20) focus on what God did for the Psalmist himself.

Today, we are in a position much like the writer of Psalm 66. As we celebrate God’s glory, we realize that the whole world should be invited into our celebration. We do this by saying, in a sense, “Come and see!” Like the Psalmist, we point to what God has done in history, most of all to his marvelous work in Jesus Christ. And, like the Psalmist, we bear witness to what God has done in our own lives as we have experienced his grace through Christ. In our testimony, we aren’t pummeling people with the truth or trying to force them into faith, as if this were even possible. Rather, we are honestly, humbly pointing to what God has done in history and in our own lives. Our message is not, “You must believe this” but rather, “Come and see!”

Of course, this invitation is much more enticing if what people “see” is not only the historic work of God, but a demonstration of that work in the life of God’s people. When the church lives its faith, when the church speaks the truth in love, then the world will be open to hearing what we have to say.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: In what ways can you say to your friends, “Come and see!”? In your life, and in the life of your Christian community, where is there evidence of God’s grace at work?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, the enthusiasm of Psalm 66 for your glory reminds me, first of all, just how glorious you are. You have made your glory known in the wonder of creation, in the beauty of life, and most of all through your saving deeds. How I praise you today for the riches of your glory . . . and for lavishing those riches upon me.

I’m also reminded, Lord, of my responsibility to say to others, “Come and see!” Help me to be faithful, even eager, to invite those who don’t know you to consider your works. Help me to live my life in such a way that people can see your power in me. And may my church be a community that bears witness to your glory, not only in our words, but also in our deeds in the world.

All praise and glory be to you, wondrous God! Amen.