“I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.“
Psalm 50:9-11
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As I’ve been studying Psalm 50 this week, I’ve considered all the work even one day of my life entails. Even though I think I can handle things independently, this Psalm opens my eyes to how much I need others. I needed someone to harvest, package, transport, and purchase my food. When I get to work, I often need the gifts of others around me to complete the tasks I have on my plate. I get home and realize that every person in my home plays a part in our family life to ensure we are fed, provided for, and have a roof over our heads. I play a role in all this, too, but I’m not self-sufficient as I like to think. Turns out, self-sufficiency really isn’t an attribute of humankind.
We depend on God, but Psalm 50 emphasizes that God does not require anything from us. He is not sustained by our offerings, works, thoughts, or words. Everything in creation already belongs to Him. This passage shifts to a perspective of awe and reverence for God’s complete self-sufficiency.
God’s self-sufficiency means He is entirely self-existent. Unlike humans, who depend on external factors for survival and well-being, God is the source of His own being. This attribute underscores His divinity and sets Him apart from us and His creation.
- Eternal Self-Existence: God’s existence is not derived from anything else. He is the “I AM” who has always existed and will always exist.
- Creator and Sustainer: All that exists was created by God and is sustained by His power. He is not just the Creator but also the Sustainer of everything.
Understanding God’s self-sufficiency has several practical implications for our lives:
- Humility: We should humble ourselves by acknowledging that we add nothing to God’s essence. Our service to God is a response to His love, not a means to sustain Him.
- Trust: Knowing that God is self-sufficient reassures us that He can meet our needs. He is not limited by resources or external factors.
- Worship: Our worship becomes a practice of gratitude and reverence, not trying to please or appease God with offerings.
I encourage you to spend time in prayer, acknowledging God’s self-sufficiency, expressing your trust in His all-sufficient nature. Thank Him for being the source of all your life and sustenance.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
- Where do your thoughts go when you reflect on God always existing?
- How have you personally seen God as a sustainer in our community and in your life?
Church Reading Plan: Isaiah 36; Revelation 6