Faith in Focus #35
A reflection from Connection Church and other spiritual events from the week
Faith in Focus is a weekly reflection on what God has been teaching me throughout the week regarding my faith. Whether it’s personal interactions, reading, or the Sunday sermon, God speaks through it all, and I hope this helps you focus on His mission.
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Sermon Reflection
Psalm 99 invites us to behold a God unlike any other. His holiness is not distant or cold, but the foundation of His sovereign rule, perfect justice, and gracious invitation to draw near through Jesus Christ.
Based on the sermon by Jaz Terzic, Connection Church Sioux Falls, July 4, 2026.
Sovereign, Just, and Accessible: Meeting the Holy God of Psalm 99
It’s not very often that we get back to back sermons from someone other than Pastor Jonathan, but this week Elder Jaz Terzic returned to continue our Summer in the Psalms series with Psalm 99. Appropriately titled “The Lord Our God Is Holy,” this psalm centers on one of the most defining characteristics of God. The word holy simply means “set apart,” but Psalm 99 reveals that God’s holiness is far more profound than merely being different. It’s the defining reality of who He is.
One illustration immediately resonated with me. Jaz described Psalm 99 as having a “hook,” much like a memorable song. As someone who loves music, that comparison instantly caught my attention. Every great song has a chorus that sticks with you long after the music stops, and Psalm 99 has one as well.
“Holy is he.”
Like any memorable refrain, it repeats throughout the psalm. Jaz even demonstrated how effective hooks are by singing several familiar insurance company jingles, and the congregation instinctively finished each one. That’s exactly what a hook is designed to do. It embeds itself into our memory.
Psalm 99 does something similar, but instead of advertising a product, it engraves a truth into our hearts.
Even more beautifully, this refrain echoes throughout Scripture. Isaiah sees heavenly beings surrounding God’s throne crying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3, ESV). Centuries later, John witnesses the same worship in heaven as the living creatures declare day and night, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8, ESV).
The World Behind the Text
The threefold declaration of God’s holiness is no accident. In Hebrew literature, repetition emphasizes importance. Saying something twice intensifies it. Saying it three times communicates the highest possible degree.
God is not simply holy.
He is holy, holy, holy.
His holiness is beyond comparison. There is no one like Him because there has never been anyone like Him. He is completely set apart in His perfection, righteousness, justice, power, and glory.
Psalm 99 repeatedly calls God’s people to recognize this reality. The psalm celebrates Him as King, enthroned above the cherubim, ruling over every nation while remaining perfectly righteous in all His ways. His holiness is not one attribute among many. It shapes every other aspect of His character.
Walking the Passage
Jaz organized Psalm 99 around three truths about God’s holiness.
First, God’s Holiness Is Sovereign.
“The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!” (Psalm 99:1, ESV).
God’s holiness is displayed through His sovereign rule over all creation. Nothing exists outside His authority. Every nation, every ruler, every season, and every circumstance ultimately falls under His dominion.
One image particularly stood out to me. Jaz reminded us that God’s throne is not portrayed as permanently fixed in one location. Throughout Scripture, God’s throne is depicted as moving, demonstrating that while He is infinitely above creation, He is never absent from it.
That’s encouraging.
God isn’t a distant King watching history unfold from afar. His holiness separates Him from creation, yet His sovereignty allows Him to be actively involved in every detail of our lives. The One who rules the universe is also present with His people.
Second, God’s Holiness Is Just.
“The King in his might loves justice” (Psalm 99:4, ESV).
Justice can sometimes feel elusive in our world. Evil appears to prosper. Wickedness often seems to go unpunished. We long for things to be made right.
Psalm 99 reminds us that justice is never an afterthought for God because it flows directly from His holy nature.
His discipline is always right. His judgments are always fair. His wrath is always righteous.
Modern culture often struggles with God’s wrath, yet His judgment is actually comforting. If God were indifferent toward sin, He wouldn’t be holy. Evil destroys lives, relationships, and communities. Because God is perfectly holy, He promises that evil will not have the final word.
That promise gives believers hope. Every injustice will one day be answered by the perfectly just Judge.
A Fair Counter-Reading
Some readers view Psalm 99 primarily as a celebration of God’s kingship over Israel rather than a passage pointing toward Christ. That observation is certainly true within its original context. The psalm celebrates the covenant God reigning over His chosen people and recalls leaders such as Moses, Aaron, and Samuel who faithfully interceded before Him.
Yet the New Testament consistently presents these faithful Old Testament mediators as foreshadowing something greater. Moses pointed forward to a greater Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15), and every priest and prophet ultimately anticipated Jesus Christ, our perfect and eternal Mediator. Reading Psalm 99 through the completed story of Scripture does not replace its original meaning. It fulfills it.
The Turn
The final truth Jaz highlighted may be the most comforting of all.
God’s holiness is accessible.
At first glance, that almost sounds contradictory. How can a perfectly holy God be accessible to sinful people?
The answer is found in a mediator.
Psalm 99 recalls Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, individuals who stood between God and His people (Psalm 99:6). Throughout Israel’s history, God graciously provided prophets, priests, and leaders to intercede on behalf of His covenant people.
Moses himself promised that one day God would raise up another prophet like him (Deuteronomy 18:15, ESV).
That promise ultimately finds its fulfillment in Jesus.
Unlike every mediator before Him, Jesus did not simply speak on behalf of God’s people. He became one of us, bore our sins upon Himself, rose victorious over death, and now “is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34, ESV).
The infinitely holy God is now approachable because Christ has made a way.
That doesn’t diminish God’s holiness. It magnifies His grace.
The One who is perfectly holy has invited sinful people into His presence through the finished work of His Son.
Carry It Into the Week
With all of this incredible truth, how should we respond?
Psalm 99 answers that question three separate times.
“Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!” (Psalm 99:3, ESV).
“Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!” (Psalm 99:5, ESV).
“Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!” (Psalm 99:9, ESV).
The only appropriate response to God’s holiness is worship.
Not merely singing songs on Sunday morning. Not simply admiring His greatness from a distance. But living lives that continually exalt Him because He alone is worthy.
As I reflected on this sermon, I couldn’t help but think back to Jaz’s illustration about musical hooks. The best songs stay with us long after they end. Their chorus finds its way into our thoughts throughout the week.
May the refrain of Psalm 99 become the chorus our hearts continue singing.
Holy is He.
Holy is He.
Holy is He.
Song of the Week: Perfectly - Micah Tyler
This week the song choice is “Perfectly” by Micah Tyler. This song reminds me of how much we all strive to be perfect in our lives. Whether it’s trying to be the perfect employee, the perfect friend, the perfect parent, the perfect Christian, or simply trying to make it through the day without messing something up, we all carry the weight of expectations. We convince ourselves that if we can just work a little harder, make fewer mistakes, or get our lives together, then maybe we’ll finally be enough.
Spoiler alert: we aren’t, nor can we be.
The only person who has ever lived a perfect life was Jesus Christ. He fulfilled the law completely, never sinned, willingly went to the cross for our failures, rose again, and now reigns forever at the right hand of the Father. His perfection is what makes our salvation possible, because if it depended on our ability to earn it, none of us would have any hope. Romans 3:23 reminds us that “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Every single one of us has missed the mark. Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
That truth is exactly what Micah Tyler captures throughout this song. While we continue to pile up failures, God continues to pour out grace. We stumble, yet He remains faithful. We wander, yet He welcomes us home with open arms. We question our worth, yet He continually reminds us that our identity isn’t found in our performance but in what Christ has already accomplished.
The line that gets me every single time comes in the final stanza of the second verse. Micah sings that we don’t deserve God’s love because we have nothing to offer, yet God takes us in anyway. Not merely as someone to rescue, but as a friend. That thought is overwhelming when you really sit with it. The Creator of the universe doesn’t simply tolerate us because He has to. Through Christ, He invites us into a relationship with Him. Jesus says in John 15:15, “No longer do I call you servants... but I have called you friends.” That isn’t because we’ve earned the title. It’s because His grace is far greater than our failures.
I think that’s one of the biggest lies we battle as believers. We often think God loves a future, improved version of ourselves more than He loves us today. We imagine He’s waiting for us to finally clean ourselves up before He’ll fully embrace us. The gospel says the exact opposite. Christ met us at our worst. Romans 5:8 says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Before we ever thought about following Him, He had already made a way for us to come home.
So be reminded today that you will fail in some way, shape, or form. I certainly will too. We will never be perfect, and we will never do enough to deserve God’s grace or His love. But that’s the beauty of the gospel. God’s love has never depended on our perfection. It has always depended on His. Because of Jesus, we are loved, forgiven, welcomed, and adopted into God’s family. Not because of what we’ve done, but because of what Christ has already finished. And if you ask me, that’s really good news.
Week in Reflection
This week marked the end of firework season and the return to some semblance of a routine. While the 80 hours at the firework stand was exhausting and physically demanding, it was also a lot of fun and a blessing to help a friend with his business. Every year it reminds me that work comes in many forms. Some seasons are physically demanding, others are mentally taxing, and some are emotionally draining, but every season gives us opportunities to glorify God through faithfulness. Whether we are serving customers at a firework stand, sitting behind a desk, or simply being present for those around us, our work matters because it can all be done for the Lord. Colossians 3:23-24 reminds us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Coming back to the “real world” after a week and a half away is always a bit of a shock. The early morning alarms return, the inbox fills back up, meetings resume, and the rhythm of daily responsibilities takes some time to settle into again. It’s easy to think that our relationship with God is somehow stronger during the unusual seasons because they break up the monotony of everyday life. But I’ve been reminded this week that God isn’t only present in the exciting moments or on the mountaintops. He is just as present in Monday morning routines as He is during vacations, conferences, mission trips, or special events. His faithfulness doesn’t fluctuate with our schedules. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Even when life returns to what feels ordinary, God’s mercies are anything but ordinary.
We are also halfway through our leadership meetings where I am reading Gospel Fluency and The Gospel Comes with a House Key. Both books have been incredibly challenging in the best possible way, and I would recommend them to anyone looking for practical ways to grow deeper in living on mission for Christ. It’s one thing to understand the gospel intellectually, but it’s another thing entirely to allow it to shape the way we speak, serve, invite others into our lives, and love our neighbors. Reading through these books has reignited a fire in my faith and has made me more intentional about the everyday conversations I have. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 wasn’t given only to pastors or missionaries. Every believer has been called to make disciples wherever God has placed them, whether that’s in the workplace, around the dinner table, in the neighborhood, or while standing behind a firework counter.
This week also brought some wonderful time spent with old friends, along with the opportunity to build new friendships. It’s amazing how God orchestrates relationships. Sometimes someone enters your life unexpectedly and within a short time feels like a lifelong friend. Other friendships have stood the test of time, remaining strong even when distance or life circumstances separate you. These relationships are gifts from God that remind us we were never meant to walk through life alone. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.” Christian community is one of God’s greatest blessings. We encourage one another, sharpen one another, celebrate together, and carry one another through difficult seasons.
As I reflect on this week, I’m reminded that faithfulness is often found in the ordinary. It’s found in returning to work with a grateful heart, intentionally pursuing Christ through His Word, investing in friendships, and looking for opportunities to share the hope of the gospel in everyday conversations. Our routines may seem repetitive, but God can use ordinary faithfulness to accomplish extraordinary things in His kingdom.
My prayer is that everyone reading this would find rest in the routines God has given them instead of constantly longing for the next big thing. I pray that you would be intentional about growing in your relationship with Christ, allowing the gospel to shape not only what you believe but how you live. And I pray that you wouldn’t take for granted the friendships God has placed in your life. They are gifts of His grace, reminders that we were created for community, and opportunities to encourage one another as we all continue to follow Jesus together. May we remember that no season is wasted when it is lived for the glory of God.
And always remember, God loves you, and so do I.
Connection Church in Sioux Falls is a gospel-centered community committed to helping people follow Jesus through authentic relationships, biblical teaching, and everyday mission. Rooted in historic Christian belief and aligned with gospel renewal movements, the church exists to see lives transformed by Jesus. Learn more: https://siouxfallsconnection.com/who-we-are
