Plenary, 13 Jun 2001
Meeting date: Wednesday, June 13, 2001
Official Report
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Time for Reflection
We welcome to lead our time for reflection this morning the Rev Kenneth D Macleod, a minister of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland from the isle of Harris.
Rev Kenneth D Macleod (Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, Leverburgh, Isle of Harris):
I wish to read to you from the good book. It is, I fully believe, a revelation from God, which is absolutely reliable. It tells us all we need to know about God himself. It shows how we ought to live our lives and it shows us how we may be prepared to die.
Let us read Psalm 96:
"O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.
Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth."
That psalm makes clear our duty to praise God as our creator. We are especially to praise him because of his greatness, because of how glorious he is. Yes, we have sinned. At best, our capacity to glorify him is limited. But through Jesus Christ the son of God, there is salvation. It is he who died for sinners. Those who believe in him will be made perfect in heaven; there they will glorify God perfectly. But we must begin to do so in this life.
May you all, in the work of the Scottish Parliament, have God's help. May you be enabled to carry out your responsibilities to God's glory, mindful that he sees us in everything we do and that to him we must give account at last.