Psalm 107:43

Psalm 107:43

Take heed!

So we come to the end of the Psalm, it has been a difficult journey at times, with many ups and downs! The history of God’s dealings with Israel reads like a record of our own lives, full of peaks and troughs; the walk with God is never plain sailing for we humans are weak and unreliable creatures. That is why we are being asked to stop and think about all that we have learned, the wisest amongst us will spend some time deliberating on what the Psalm has taught us. The successes and failures of Israel can be measured in their treatment of the land and their relationships with the surrounding nations, that is the account that historians give us and that many read into the Bible itself. But, he or she who is wise will see that another agenda has been unfolding here; the history of the Israelites is completely bound up in their relationship with the Lord God, it is their devotion and obedience to Him that has brought blessing and prosperity, and it is their rebellion and disobedience that has brought oppression, calamity and sorrow. (v39) 

Let the wise amongst us, heed these things. The events that happen around us, the successes or failures of our meandering journeys are all related to our relationship with the Lord our God. He does not promise an easy life, but He does promise that obedience brings blessing and disobedience is the source of cursing upon us. If, as the Psalm says, we just stop for a moment and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord we will see that a pattern emerges, that life can be a journey of blessing, even though there may be many hardships. If we walk closely with the Lord then He will carry us through and will guard, guide and provide for us whatever twists and turns the journey may take. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psalm 106:13

Psalm 106:13 Do not forget We need to remember that Israel’s relationship with the Lord God was based on His laws and their obedience. It was possible for them to live lives that were highly blessed, that incorporated the provision of God in every tiny detail of their national and individual existence. God was prepared to give them everything they needed, He would provide food and water for them and their flocks. He would guide them on their journey. He would protect them from their enemies. He would inspire and direct their leaders. He would keep them from the heat of the sun and the terrors of the desert night. He would take them to the land that He had promised, in double quick time. There was no reason why they could not be in situ in just a few months. Everything they could possibly need was His to provide and He was willing to sacrifice anything to see them gratefully settled in Canaan.  There was just one snag, it all depended upon their obedience and faithfulness. God insisted
Read more

Psalm 51:4

Psalm 51:4 Deliberate sin In Genesis 20 we read the story of Abimelek and Abraham. The latter had passed off his wife Sarah as his sister and Abimelek had taken her with a view to her becoming his wife. The relationship was not consummated, and the Lord used a dream to reveal to Abimelek just what was going on. The insulted king pleaded innocence,  “I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands ” he said, to the Lord. And God agreed,  “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me.”  This is a big subject but there is clearly a difference between sinful intentions and deeds where the participant knows that he/she is doing wrong, and those occasions where an action is carried out in innocence.  David knew all along that every detail of his relationship with Bathsheba was sinful, as were his actions in the cover-up. Therefore, he sinned against the Lord God and broke the commandments which said that  “You shall not commit adul
Read more

Psalm 57:8

Psalm 57:8 Awake my soul! This verse calls on three different elements to wake up! It follows on from the previous statement that David intends to sing and make music. We can imagine him opening his eyes one morning and all is silent and dark. The first birds have not yet started to sing, and the eastern sky is not yet pink. In contrast to the days of despair and defeat David is ready for this day and he is going to celebrate. He may be living in a gloomy, dank cave but hope is at hand, God is with him and he will triumph over his enemies. Maybe some of his companions got a shock that morning as their leader launched his early morning praise assault on the kingdoms of darkness! ·        Awake my soul. ·        Awake, harp and lyre. ·        Awake – the dawn. Sometimes we have to address the inner man and let our minds take control of our emotions and our desires. The negatives can be defeated, the whispering doubts can be silenced, the tide of fear and trepidation can be driven back. A
Read more