This morning, our daughter looked out her window to find a white sheet of snow laying on top of the grass. Seeing this, she shouted, "where did it come from!?" In some ways, that's the question of the passage we'll be considering Sunday, Psalm 29.

If you read the passage, you'll find that weather is a central theme. As God's people come in contact with other tribes, they're likewise exposed to the gods of those people. One such god is Baal. This god, it was taught, rode on clouds, controlling the storms.

One might expect the Hebrew Scriptures to argue that Baal, and all other gods worshiped by gentiles, doesn't really exist. He's a fiction of the people's imagination, incapable of blowing a single leaf off a tree, let alone putting snow atop Mt. Hermon. The Jewish-Christian cosmology is more complex than this, and we encounter this complexity no more starkly than in Psalm 29, which begins: "Ascribe to the Lord, O you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength."

The Hebrew word translated as "heavenly beings" or "mighty ones" is most literally rendered "sons of god." Who are these creatures? They are the "divine council" made up of spiritual beings to rule under Yahweh's control (Psalm 82:1). A subset of these heavenly beings, led by Satan, rebel against the Most High God. Sense their fall, these gods seek the destruction of the very people they were intended to protect.

With this spiritual conflict in the background, Psalm 29 sizes up the battle. The God of glory "thunders," we read. "The Lord is over many waters," the Psalmist says. The voice of the Lord "shakes the wilderness," we're told.

Yahweh isn't the only spiritual being in existence. Yes, there are malevolent gods, Baal being one, who seek our destruction. But the good news of Scripture, including the 29th Psalm, is that Yahweh is more powerful. He presides over the whole kit and caboodle of creation, weather and all. Psalm 29, like all of Scripture, is good news. It is gospel. We need not fear, He will win the war.

My daughter was reminded this morning what we'll all be reminded of Sunday, "God says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’" And so, enjoy the snow day. It comes straight from the hand of God!

BOARD OF STEWARDS ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP!

ASD Board of Steward elections are coming up. Members of All Saints may vote for new board members in person after each service on January 26th. For a list of our BOS canidates and their bios, click HERE.

Click below to watch a video message from Guy+ Delcambre.

As we approach our Annual Church Update and Board of Stewards Elections, we’re excited to share a special series of ministry updates. Each week in our newsletter, we’ll feature insights from one of our ministry leaders. In just about five minutes, each leader will highlight some key accomplishments, share a story of God’s work in their ministry over the past year, and look ahead to their goals for the next six months.

So let’s hear from Guy+ Delcambre this week, who will be sharing about Art and Adult Ed. We hope these updates give you a deeper connection to the work happening at All Saints and the exciting ways God is moving among us.

If there are no available parking spots in our lot, please use the parking lot across Cadiz. Our primary parking area experiences its highest occupancy between the transition from our 9:30 to 11 am service.