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Psalm 66:5-7 – Come and see what God has done: He is awesome in His deeds toward the children of man. He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in Him, who rules by His might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations—let not the rebellious exalt themselves.
The psalmist issues an invitation to all who will listen: “Come and see what God has done!” He wants everyone to know about God’s awesome deeds toward the children of man, the ways in which God acted in human history to save His people. With mighty acts of power, God set the people of Israel free from slavery in Egypt. He turned back the waters of the Red Sea so the Israelites could escape from the Egyptian chariots and cross in safety on dry land. Years later, God held back the water of the Jordan River so His people could cross over into the Promised Land. There the people rejoiced in the God who saved them, the God who rules in might forever.
Those mighty acts of God resulted in freedom from slavery for the Israelites and a new life in the Promised Land. Centuries later in that same Promised Land, an angel issued a similar invitation to come and see what God had done. These were awesome deeds of God carried out in human history, mighty acts of power that resulted in freedom and new life. The angel invited some astonished and frightened women to see what God had done. Jesus Christ had risen from the dead! The angel called the women to look into the empty tomb that no longer held the body of their crucified and risen Lord: “Come and see the place where He lay” (Matthew 28:6b). The angel then sent the women on a mission: “Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead” (Matthew 28:7a).
The invitations of the psalmist and the angel are for us, too. In the pages of Holy Scripture, we see and hear the awesome deeds of God. With the sight of faith we have seen the empty tomb, and we believe that our Lord has risen from the dead. By God’s rich grace, through faith in Jesus, we have been set free from slavery to sin. In the waters of holy Baptism, God turned back the overwhelming flood of death to create us anew as His holy people. By faith we have passed from slavery into freedom and from death into life. One day our Lord will lead us safely into the promised land of His eternal presence. God has given us His gracious invitation and His urgent command: “Come and see. Go and tell!” We want everyone to see and hear the awesome deeds of God. Like the psalmist, we have an invitation for the world: “Come and see what God has done!”
WE PRAY: Lord, empower us to invite others to come and see Your awesome deeds! Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
- From what has God set you free in your life?
- If you were to say, “Come and see what God has done!” what would you point out to people?
- How do you think God’s eternal promised land is different than the promised land experienced by the people of Israel?
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