Tuesday 9 January, 2018

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of Asaph. 1 I cried out to God for help. I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in trouble, I looked to the Lord for help. During the night I lifted up my hands in prayer. But I refused to be comforted. 3 God, I remembered you, and I groaned. I thought about you, and I became weak. 4 You kept me from going to sleep. I was so troubled I couldn’t speak. 5 I thought about days gone by. I thought about the years of long ago. 6 I remembered how I used to sing praise to you in the night. I thought about it, and here is what I asked myself. 7 “Will the Lord turn away from us forever? Won’t he ever show us his kindness again? 8 Has his faithful love disappeared forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to help us? Has he held back his tender love because he was angry?” 10 Then I thought, “Here is what gives me hope. For many years the Most High God showed how powerful he is. 11 Lord, I will remember what you did. Yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will spend time thinking about everything you have done. I will consider all your mighty acts.” 13 God, everything you do is holy. What god is as great as our God? 14 You are the God who does miracles. You show your power among the nations. 15 With your mighty arm you set your people free. You set the children of Jacob and Joseph free. 16 God, the water of the Red Sea saw you. It saw you and boiled up. The deepest waters were stirred up. 17 The clouds poured down rain. The skies rumbled with thunder. Lightning flashed back and forth like arrows. 18 Your thunder was heard in the windstorm. Your lightning lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook. 19 Your path led through the Red Sea. You walked through the mighty waters. But your footprints were not seen. 20 You led your people like a flock. You led them by the hands of Moses and Aaron.

David starts this Psalm by being totally transparent in his frustration and ache at the silence from heaven. He was deep in trouble and not comforted, he was overwhelmed with longing for help.

This frustration turns to accusing God of turning his back on David, saying that God doesn’t care anymore. And then to go further and say that God is actually against him.

Have you ever been in that place? I have.

If you have been a believer for any amount of time, then you probably will understand how David feels.

But take direction from David as he then chooses to recall what God has done.

David chooses to reflect on the truth and not his feelings.

V13 God you are Holy, no one is as mighty as you. You are the God of great wonders.

The Message puts it this way “you are the God who makes things happen”.

Feelings can hide the truth that God is the one who makes things happen.

Like David, choose to remember what God has done, because God keeps his promises, he will do what he has said he will do.

Father, forgive me when I have believed my feelings instead of standing on the truth. You are God and you make things happen for me.

Written by Andrew Martin