Psalm 113

"Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?" Psalm 113:5-6

Nestled high in the wilderness upon a leaning branch sat Bruno, a 22 year old chimpanzee. As he ate an orange, he looked out upon the sanctuary of chimpanzees he once used to lead. Now rejected but not abandoned he sits alone thinking of days past. Chimpanzee culture, as I came to learn, is very complex. There are social rules and etiquettes and most importantly hierarchy. A leader is chosen but can just as easily be overthrown. Bruno was ousted by Tito, another chimpanzee when the tribe no longer felt Bruno cared for the group.

I was told that Bruno would eat first and leave little to nothing to the smaller chimpanzees. When there was a perceived threat, he would lay to the side and be hard to find. Now under the new reign of Tito, things were different. The females and young chimpanzees were fed. The tribe felt protected. As I looked past Bruno, I could see off in the trees a still older looking chimpanzee with its eyes fixed on me as if to say “I’m watching you.” This I came to find out was Tito.

In God’s kingdom, the Bible says he sits very high, even above the heavens. But even as great and powerful as God is, he is still near and cares for the lowly. As I visited these chimpanzees, I was reminded that God is not a god that is selfish or will abandon me. I am reminded that he can meet my needs and will provide. His gentle soft voice comes to me when I feel alone or scared and says “I see you”. I think in this psalm the invitation is to look around and see the good things that our Heavenly King has done. It is so easy for me to forget. Much like the chimpanzees, maybe the invitation is to look past the trees and see who God really is.