The Center of It All
When I was a kid, my favorite chocolate in the See’s Candy box was the chocolate cherry. At its very center was the cherry that made for a perfect bite. Or if desserts that might survive any coming apocalypse rings your bell—think twinkies—how good are twinkies without biting into the heart of that cream filling? We can't miss that the center is often the best part—the part that everything else is gathered around.
The very center of something can also speak to its stability. Take the core of the earth, for example. It may not be a gooey center, as we know it is comprised of various metals, but what's at the center is largely responsible for the magnetic field surrounding the earth protecting all life from space radiation. We don’t see the earth’s core, but we truly couldn’t survive without it!
And who doesn’t love half time, the center of many sporting games. As a parent of two soccer players, it’s my chance to breath, regroup, possibly commiserate with other parents, solve all the team’s problems (“if they would only anticipate the pass, remember to use their whole body, and many other side-lining quips!”), and eagerly anticipate the second half. That is unless they’re being decimated, and then we can only hope to have the bleeding over quickly. Regardless of which side you’re on, it’s the chance for the coach and the players to take a breath, stay focused and encourage each other to stay the course and finish strong. If you’re on the other end, you’re that much more grateful for the chance to remind your team of what they’ve worked on, are capable of, and not be discouraged by the score.
If we were to consider what half-time might look like from the Bible’s perspective, we might look at what is at the center of the book. The intricacies of Scripture never cease to amaze me, including the patterns to be found within its pages! Is there any indication of what is central to God’s thoughts at the very center of his written Word?
While the exact center of the Bible varies according to the version one is applying, when utilizing the KJV it has been determined that the center chapter of the Bible is Psalm 117. It is also the shortest Psalm, having only two verses, but carries a very poignant and clear message.
1 Praise the Lord, all you nations;
extol him, all you peoples.
2 For great is his love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord.
How fitting it is that His love is at the very center of His Word. Everything God does is motivated by His love for each one of us. And that’s why we’re to worship Him, because of His faithful love.
You’ll notice that the love of God is called great. “Great” is the Hebrew word, gabar, and carries a connotation of exerting a compelling force. Other translations use the words; mighty, conquering, powerful, wonderful, strong, towering, wonderful, prevailing. These are words which carry imagery of people being simply overcome by his love. Imagery of a battle, and so it is.
If we can be honest, no one really likes the idea of being conquered or overcome by anything—we value our independence too much for that! But to be overcome by love?! Knocked over by it. Carried away with it. So massive that its shadow becomes all-encompassing—a place to hide. Conquering hate. Compelling us to yield to its purity and beauty. If I’m going to be overcome by something, I’ll take that kind of love every day of the week!
But it’s worth pointing out a different chapter that is often considered the center of the Bible. If one measures the central point of the Bible by considering the total number of chapters in Scripture, you’ll land on Psalm 118, the very next chapter after 117. Psalm 118 is also the last hymn Jesus would have sung after celebrating the Passover dinner in the Upper Room before heading to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He would be preparing for battle.
Psalm 118 reiterates the central theme of 117 but elaborates on it, prophetically telling the story of the “stone the builders rejected ha(ving) become the cornerstone (22)… who comes in the name of the LORD” (26). This is what Jesus sang as He submitted Himself to the Father’s will in the Garden on His way to the cross, knowing what He would face. Here are the last two verses:
28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
It is stunning to consider that these words of worship were sung by Jesus to the Father, celebrating that enduring great love that He would be expressing with His life. Jesus experienced death and the separation from God that we deserved in order to overcome it once and for all, so that we might then be overcome by His great love. He truly won the battle!
But I would be remiss if I left out what follows just to the right of center. Our response. With Psalm 117 being the shortest chapter of the Bible, Psalm 119 is the longest, and by no accident in my humble opinion. The Psalmist expresses his desire to truly know God, to walk according to His Word, and, no less than eight times according to the NIV, to meditate on His precepts. It is an acrostic poem with each stanza beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and each verse of the stanza beginning with that same letter. How fitting as we seek to know God in every area of life and to let him encompass every part.
God arranged the middle strategically, reiterating that knowing Him and His ways—with His love at the very center—is to be all-encompassing in every part of life, and what we are to dwell on at every turn no matter what we might face. Jesus, who became love on display is the prevailing “half-time” meant to refocus us during our times of winning and in the heartache of defeat. This is what we respond to in worship. What a joy to be overcome by that kind of love!
https://www.learnreligions.com/get-centered-with-psalms-118-712752
