Confident Faith in El Olam
The Everlasting God
Scripture: Psalm 90:1-3 NIV
Preparation
Invite women to bring an item from their home that is one-of-the or the oldest items they own. If they are not able to bring it, invite them to either share a photo or describe it.
Introduction
Create a worship center with the items brought in by the women. Also include large river rocks, one for each woman, as part of the display, which will be used in the devotional. Invite the women to share about their item. If helpful ask prompting questions such as: Does it hold a special meaning? Is it tied to a specific memory? Is there a funny story about it? Has it been passed down from previous generations? If this item could speak, what might it say? Summarize what has been shared with a focus on the age of the items and particularly those that have been passed down through generations.
Even as old as some of these items may be, having been passed down from previous generations; even if we went to a museum and studied artifacts from ages past, hundreds and thousands of years ago, none of these could even some close to predate God our rock, and His faithful love towards us. God always was, and He is the everlasting God.
Call to Worship
Psalm 90:1-3
Psalm 103:13-19
Song
Song SB# 64, “How Great Is Our God.”
If live accompaniment is not available, the video below has music and lyrics along with visuals that beautifully support the theme. How Great Is Our God – Lyric Video HD (youtube.com)
Prayers of Praise
Praise God for who He is—the Everlasting God in whom we can have confident faith.
Just Because Day
This is the month of August. If you google “August,” you will see all the days where we could observe a special occurrence. Yes, believe it or not, someone even included, National “Just Because Day” on August 27. Certain dates are etched in our minds … birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, deaths, historical moments. Year after year they come back around, some of them full of joy, others hard to bear. These days are anything but “just because.”
Psalm 90:4 says,
“A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.” Psalm 90:4
Our eternal God, who created us, who knows us, and who loves us, exists outside of time and space; yet He cares about every little detail, every single day, every single thought, every single concern, every single joy, every single tear. He, and only He, is our dwelling place, our safe harbor, the rock in which we can put our confident faith.
“Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Psalm 90:1-2
El Olam.
El Olam is the Hebrew name for God who has no beginning and no end. It means the Everlasting God or the Eternal God. The name is made up of the combination of “El” (a general term for God) and “Olam” (meaning eternity, forever, or everlasting.)
Verse 2 in Psalm 90 says, “From everlasting to everlasting” (NIV). Other translations/paraphrases put it this way, “From ‘once upon a time’ to ‘kingdom come’ (MSG), “From beginning to end” (NLT), or “From ages past to distant futures” (Voice). Even those paraphrases do not fully describe or do justice to the everlasting God, El Olam; you see, there is no end. He is God. He is. From everlasting to everlasting. The ‘I AM’ is. As our circumstances may change, as seasons come and seasons go, even if today or tomorrow may be etched in our memory, soaked in tears of grief or tears of joy, God’s promise, the promise of El Olam, is that joy will come in the morning. He is our rock, and He is faithful.
“As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;
for He knows how we are formed,
He remembers that we are dust.” Psalm 103:13-14.
Corrie Ten Boom said, “There is no panic in Heaven! God has no problems, only plans.” We can trust God’s beautiful and perfect plan for our lives. Praise His name!
Response
Invite the women to come to the worship center to get a rock (or bring a rock to each lady.) Invite them to write El Olam on one side of the rock, and on the other side, one word or phrase that describes what El Olam means to them, for example, ‘calm in the storm,’ ‘perfect plan,’ ‘rock,’ or ‘unchanging.’
Song
Song SB# 12: “Eternal God Unchanging” This song can be sung to a variety of tunes. Or Song SB# 199: “Such Love.” If live accompaniment is not available, you could sing it acapella or read it out loud. The deep lyrics are effective even without the beautiful tune.
Benediction
“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25).
The benediction can be read out loud, perhaps all together, or put on printed Scripture cards done up with pressed flowers as a visual reminder of the Scripture focus. Along with the rock, it will remind us that we are but dust, and God is our everlasting firm foundation.
