Psalm 107
"Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
for His steadfast love endures forever!"
Let the Redeemed of the LORD say so....
While typing this blog, I can't help to think that grumpiness or downright rebellion are, in the light of these motivations for gratitude, just quite ridiculous and outrageous. Is thanklessness not an insult to our sovereign and compassionate Redeemer!? An insult to the One who saved us by grace - the One who is to be feared - the One who loves the redeemed with an unfailing, enduring, great and unending love in Jesus! He stilled the storm to a whisper and twisted back the iron bars and I have the cheek to forget to praise Him? Cheeky can sound cute. This is not cute. I repent and want to be marked by verse 1.
Five reasons (for starters!) why the Redeemed of the Lord are to be filled with thanksgiving.
- Security and Satisfaction (verses 4-9) Obviously in our world there is so much dissatisfaction, insecurity and frustration and lostness.
- Liberty (verses 10-16). Before we were redeemed, we were locked up in darkness without an option to escape. Sin is an evil task-master that locks us up. God brought and bought me out of the deepest darkness and gloom of my slavery. In, through and by Jesus, He twisted back the iron bars. Luke 4. Grace!
- God's Word and deliverance from destruction (verse 17). Some of us can look back to physical healing and give thanks. Verse 20: "He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction" Worse than the worst physical affliction, is the final destruction for those outside of Jesus.
- Rescue (verses 25-32). When vulnerable, at our wits' end, dismayed and in the worst of storms - we cry out - and God stills the storm to a whisper. How thankful am I in the storm?
- Answered prayers
God's sovereignty shines brightly through all of Psalm 107 - also in verses 33 onwards. The earthquake in Haiti is a big-scale reminder: "all creation groans under the curse." In joy and sorrow God is sovereignly good. What do we deserve without His grace?
On Thursday, last week, Gordon and I went for an "interview" with 2 elders for Spicer Street membership. Wonderful time! We were asked about the story of our salvation, which we shared with joy. So...last night after the service we had a short, but animated little conversation with Chris Upman, one of the elders who interviewed us. This time Gordon asked him to share his testimony - loved it! It just goes to show, our Redeemer's goodness and enduring steadfast love in saving and sustaining us are more than reason for our cups to run over with thanks. In the face of such love how can genuine gratitude be drudgery or smack of legalism? It can't.
"Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!"
Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so....
