NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, Lifeway publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from the Bible Studies For Life curriculum.
Bible Passages: Psalms 8:1-6; 14:1-7
Discussion Questions:
- What’s the most interesting repurpose project you’ve seen?
- How does God’s creation inspire you to worship Him?
- How has God restored you since turning to Christ?
Food for Thought
Do you remember the first time you saw a mountain rising from the horizon? Or do you recall the first time you stood on the beach and saw nothing but an expansive ocean before you? I don’t know about you, but experiences like that capture my attention. That’s because the greatness of creation reflects the greatness of the Creator. It makes me want to shout with David, “Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!” (Psalm 8:1).
His magnificence is not hidden. The planet we live on shouts this in a million wondrous ways. But God’s creation and His greatness aren’t limited to just our planet. “You have covered the heavens with your majesty.” (v. 1).
Consider the moon. Scientists have learned that if the moon were any larger, it would cause all sorts of problems. The earth tilts at a perfect 23.4 degrees, for example, but a larger moon and its resulting stronger gravitational pull would cause the earth to tilt so far in one direction that one side of the planet would experience unbearable heat and the other side would only know a subzero climate.
A larger moon also would slow the earth’s rotation, making each day last much longer than 24 hours and creating a harsh climate for life. The Milky Way galaxy has hundreds of billions of stars, and scientists now consider it to be one of the smallest systems in the universe.
After establishing the magnificence of God’s glory, David contrasted that to the relative insignificance of humanity. “When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him? (v. 3-4). David may have felt small and insignificant as He observed the universe, but David knew he wasn’t insignificant in God’s eyes. “You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor” (v. 5). David was pointing again to the greatness of God.
Bible Studies for Life
Bible Studies for Life connects the Bible to life for adults, students, and kids. Bible Studies for Life helps individuals and groups know God’s Word through trustworthy content, creates biblical community through engaging and conversational group studies, and helps people engage the culture missionally by unpacking what the Bible says about real-life issues. More information can be found at Lifeway.com/biblestudiesforlife.
