His Love Endures Forever (Part 2) 

We started considering Psalm 107 last week. The refrain "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" which the Psalmist repeated a few times caught my attention. It's as if the Psalmist is strongly encouraging, even pleading with us to praise the LORD. The "Oh" used is not just an invitation, it's a lament and a prayer. He ponders all the LORD had done for his people at different times, in different situations and sees that their response at worse is disheartening. Because many don't recognise the goodness of God, so they see no need to praise him. At best, some recognise his goodness, but their praise is inadequate and falls far short compared to God's enduring and unfailing love. 

As we emerge from lockdown, many people's perspective will be (and rightly so) "the COVID-19 pandemic is a horrible time in our history." But as we read this Psalm, will we let the Psalmist's lament and prayer challenge us to praise God?  Will our perspective be "the COVID-19 pandemic is a horrible time in our history, yet the LORD is with us, he redeemed us, he delivered us, he will protect us?" 

The Psalmist ended the Psalm with these words: "Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord." (Psalms? ?107:43? NLT). He concluded that it takes wisdom for people to see the faithful love of the LORD. If we don't see it, we can't recognise it. If we don't recognise it, we can't appreciate it. "Oh that men (and women, and children and everyone everywhere) would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" As we emerge from lockdown, may we be wise so we gain a better perspective and be full of gratitude for God's unfailing love for us. 

So, let's heed the Psalmist's invitation. Let's ponder and look back at the past sixteen yo eighteen months and list the things we are grateful to God for. If our list is small, let's ask for wisdom to help us see, recognise and appreciate what God has done. Then we will learn to thank him for what could have been that wan't, dangers we didn't know existed that he saved us from, storms that never rose because he stopped them at their source. "Oh that men (and women, and children and everyone everywhere) would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"

For those storms he allowed, think back. How did they end? "He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbour!" (Psalms? ?107:29-30? ?NLT)??. Didn't he bring us safely to shore? A safe and desired haven? When we sin and ask him for forgiveness, he forgives and cleanses us. We revert to our sins. We come back to him again and again, he forgives again and again and again because of his unfailing love for us. How amazing our God is, how faithful and trustworthy. 

Yet some are going through what they may consider the darkest moments of their lives right now. How can they respond to the Psalmist's lament? How can they praise God when they can't see the end of the suffering they're facing? They drown themselves in their tears day and night, they've waited and longed for relief to no avail. Like Job, they feel like their lives are ebbing away. How can they respond with praise, even when they know that's what they should do? Well, the point the Psalmist is making is that the knowledge of God's everlasting love for us over the course of redemptive history should draw us closer to him in our darkest hour.

"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress." (Psalms? ?107:6? ?NIV)??. He makes this point over and over again. (Psalm 107: 6; 13; 19; 28). Are you in trouble? Cry out to the LORD. Do you feel you are wandering in a desert waste land? Cry out to the LORD. Are you in darkness and need deliverance?  Cry out to the LORD. Are you stuck in a pattern of sin and unhelpful habits? Cry out to the LORD. Are you overwhelmed by the storms of life?  Cry out to God. He will still the storm to a whisper. He will hush the raging seas in your life. Those who cry out to the LORD in their trouble are delivered. Your story will not be different. 

Let me finish with the promise of the God: "Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." (Psalms? ?50:14-15? ?NIV??.) When next we meet, you too will have a story to tell. The story of the redeemed! "Oh that men (women, children and everyone everywhere) would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"