Monday Reflection \u2013 May 04, 2020
God to the Rescue!<\/p>\n\n\n
Those he gathered from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south: Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. Psalm 107:3,8<\/p>\n\n\n
I borrowed today\u2019s title from Derek Kidner as he contemplated this remarkable Psalm that praises God\u2019s deliverance. Indeed, many of us grow up watching movie stars like McGyver, Spider Man and Bruce Willis who were portrayed as coming to the rescue of people in trouble. This has left an imprint on many minds as we look for superheroes to solve life\u2019s problems. Well, today\u2019s text presents a hero, Yahweh, who comes to the rescue of those in trouble. For F.B. Meyer, Psalm 107 presents God who broods over the weary caravan that faints in the desert; visits the prison-house with its captives; watches by our beds of pain; notices each lurch of the tempest-driven vessel; and brings the weary hosts from the wilderness into the fruitful soil.<\/p>\n\n\n
The Psalmist begins by passionately pleading with his readers to give thanks to God, and for good reason \u2013 God is good. He proves the goodness of God throughout the rest of this Psalm. Thanks is also necessary because God\u2019s mercy endures forever. This is about God\u2019s lovingkindness, grounded in his covenant love. Such has no beginning and shall never know an end. The Psalmist then specifically invites the people of God to declare that they are redeemed. It would be ungrateful and wrong to be silent about so great a work. God has rescued the lost, the guilty, the sick, and the storm-tossed. These redeemed of the Lord should say so. Not just that, but God has gathered from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. The remnant people of God are summoned to give thanks.<\/p>\n\n\n
Those rescued by the hero God are marshalled to thank God for his steadfast love and his wonderful works to humankind. They wandered aimlessly in the wilderness in an endless maze of desolation, lost, hungry, tired, fainthearted, and distressed. Better than modern navigation systems, God led his redeemed to just the right place, to a city for a dwelling place. He straightens the way; leads them into the city; and provides for their shelter, food, and drink. In response, God\u2019s people are to thank him for more than just his work in our personal lives, but also for what he does for others.<\/p>\n\n\n
We give God thanks first of all for who God is \u2013 for his nature, attributes and character. We celebrate the God of steadfast love and enduring mercies. We then thank God for what he does \u2013 his wonderful works to us. What God does is driven by who God is. When we experience God\u2019s intervention and deliverance in our lives and his everyday work, we ought to recognize that it is driven by his unconditional love for us. Yet, there is a lesson here for each of us – who we are precedes what we do. Many times we get caught up dealing with and correcting what we do, without first addressing who we are. This only takes us in an endless cycle of doing then correcting and round and round we go without making progress. God calls us to be like him before we focus on doing what we should. If we give attention to who God has called us to be and become, then we don\u2019t have to worry about what we ought to do. Who we are will reflect in what we do. Remember, our superhero God is here to our rescue and will enable us in our journey to become like him.<\/p>\n\n\n
Jermaine Gibson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Monday Reflection \u2013 May 04, 2020 God to the Rescue! Those he gathered from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south: Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. Psalm\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"template":"","watchword_topic":[10],"class_list":["post-171","watchword","type-watchword","status-publish","hentry","watchword_topic-leadership"],"yoast_head":"\n