Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things....

Psalm 107

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! 

*2* Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble 

*3* and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. 

*4* Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; 

*5* hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. 

*6* Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 

*7* He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. 

*8* Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 

*9* For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things. 

*10* Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, 

*11* for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. 

*12* So he bowed their hearts down with hard labour; they fell down, with none to help. 

*13* Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 

*14* He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. 

*15* Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 

*16* For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron. 

*17* Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; 

*18* they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. 

*19* Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 

*20* He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. 

*21* Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 

*22* And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! 

*23* Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; 

*24* they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. 

*25* For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. 

*26* They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; 

*27* they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. 

*28* Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 

*29* He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 

*30* Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. 

*31* Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 

*32* Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 

*33* He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, 

*34* a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants. 

*35* He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. 

*36* And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; 

*37* they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield. 

*38* By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish. 

*39* When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, 

*40* he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; 

*41* but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. 

*42* The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth. 

*43* Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord. 

This psalm covers many analogies for the different ways in which we can experience life. There are snippets of stories encompassing; confusion, wandering, poverty, restriction, rebellion, dismissing God’s way, imprisonment, seeking riches and climbing the career ladder. I am sure each of us can relate to at least one of these situations. They all indicate times we can find ourselves in through life, often when we are not fully following God or times then we are caught up in the trials and sufferings of life. Yet in ALL of these situations, there is an opportunity to cry out to God;

‘Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.’

No situation is too difficult for God to rescue you from. You have never gone too far, gone too wrong, or got too bad for God to intervene. He is just waiting for an invitation to do so. Every time in the variety of situations listed, the people get overwhelmed, fed up and desperate. Ever felt like that? When the people of this psalm realised they were so troubled and distressed that they could do nothing about it, they cried out to God. They were desperate, scared and incapable of changing their circumstances, so they realised they needed supernatural help.

God is greater than any situation you are in. If you do call upon Him, He will answer. Like He does for the people here. He can meet you in the storm and sustain you in the desert, He can pierce the darkness and obliterate sin. If you are fed up with life the way it is right now, why not try crying out to God? He can deliver you from your distress - He can show you the straight path out of the mess, He can calm the storm,  bring healing and rescue. He can release those who feel imprisoned, He can provide nourishment, bring peace and strength. God can make a difference to whatever situation you find yourself in. So, why not ask Him to? 

Then you can take comfort that in each circumstance listed in this scripture, God answers. He provides, guides, heals, rescues and releases those who have ‘cried to the Lord in their trouble’. You may not realise it yet, but God is working out His plan for you and is coming to deliver you from your distress. It is comforting to know that in the many trials of life, that we can call on God. It doesn’t matter if you never have, or if you always have, God still listens and acts. He doesn’t just lend a sympathetic ear, but He provides a rescue plan, a solution to whatever the circumstance is. He is just waiting for you to call on Him to come. 

As well as the repetition of verse 6, after every event, once the people turn to God, this verse is also repeated, ‘Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!’

The work and intervention of God deserves recognition. When God answers the call of distress, don’t forget to acknowledge it and be grateful to Him. For He has performed ‘wondrous works’ in your life, and He will continue to do so when you invite Him in. Being grateful for God’s great, steadfast, enduring love is something we can all do, but do you? Do you call to remembrance the times when God has transformed your life, situations, health, career, your troubled mind? 

Verses 22 onwards demonstrate some ways in which we can glorify God, and we can use these examples to thank God for what He has done in our lives. Don’t forget to thank God for these things. We have a lot to thank God for, but we do not always remember to do it. I think that is why the psalmist repeats this verse. 

I know God has healed me, He has brought peace to my heart and mind, He has provided for me a family, a home, finances when we have had lack, He has given me a husband and children though the path was not easy, He has broken through situations, provided jobs, restored the lives of those around us,  led me, disciplined me, He has given me hope, prepared me, comforted me, given me strength, energy, He has spoken to me, listened to me and kept me going. 

What has He done for you? 

Surely, He deserves our gratitude and our trust the next time a tough situation comes by….

‘Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.'

Christmas, a time to worship

I was considering which psalm to write about this week as we approach Christmas Day, when I came across psalm 96. A psalm full of praise and wonder at the splendour of God. This seems appropriate to ponder on at this time of year. We can get caught up in; busy-ness, buying presents, attending events, seeing friends and family, food, putting up the decorations. Why not take a break from all that and have a read of this psalm. It may just refresh you and excite you for what Christmas is really all about;

Worship in the Splendour of Holiness

# 96

Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! 

*2* Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 

*3* Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous works among all the peoples! 

*4* For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. 

*5* For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 

*6* Splendour and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 

*7* Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, 

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! 

*8* Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; 

bring an offering, and come into his courts! 

*9* Worship the Lord in the splendour of holiness; 

tremble before him, all the earth! 

*10* Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! 

Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; 

he will judge the peoples with equity.” 

*11* Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 

*12* let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy 

*13* before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness. 

I love how this psalm just dives straight in. It shows us the exuberant outpouring of praise of this writer. Does it not inspire you to worship too? 

At this time of year as we consider God becoming man to save us and demonstrate love to us, does that stir up the same excitement, joy and gratitude in you? Us, who live thousands of years after this psalm was written, and thousands of years after the brith of Jesus - We truly DO know His salvation day by day! We have seen and read and heard about the brith of the Son of God, probably in many ways, so we know and experience first-hand God's salvation plan worked out! Isn't that exciting?! And isn't that worth praising God for? 

We can get so distracted by many other things as we approach Christmas and New Year, but don't forget to take time to also get caught up in the wonder, the awe, and beauty of what God achieved by sending his son, Jesus. 

This God who sent His son to us inspires worship. When we take time to consider who He really is, as the psalmist has done, we too can, and should overflow with praise. When we begin to see the marvellous character of God, how can we not glorify Him? In these few verses we are reminded of God’s; greatness, power, creativity, strength, beauty, awesomeness, glory, authority, majesty, power, judgement, holiness, righteousness, splendour, fairness, salvation and faithfulness. 

Surely that is worth singing about as the psalmist suggests?!

The whole Earth has reason to glorify God - Every single part of it! Our duty is to give it. Not to keep the joy inside as a private, personal matter, but to share the stories and the greatness of God with others. We are called to give, sing, declare, tell and worship. God’s magnificence should be expressed joyfully in our lives. We have much to appreciate, and this Christmas seems like is a good time to show and share it.

So, I wish you all a Merry Christmas as you celebrate who God is. Let us all remember to, 'Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name', for then it will truly be a Merry Christmas for us all. 

‘For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; ‘

Honouring God through mistakes

David created this song, psalm 30, as a response to events in his life and he begins and ends with worship. The intro shows us that it was used at the dedication of the temple, so clearly this psalm was publicly sung. As you read it, consider how brave that was;

Psalm 30

Joy Comes with the Morning

A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple. 

*1* I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. 

*2* O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. 

*3* O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. 

*4* Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. 

*5* For his anger is but for a moment, and his favour is for a lifetime. 

Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. 

*6* As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” 

*7* By your favour, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed. 

*8* To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: 

*9* “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? 

*10*Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!” 

*11*You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 

*12*that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! 

Within this psalm King David admits he was prideful, shows he repented, how he prayed, and demonstrates how he worships - That’s a lot of personal revelation for a public event! How brave was that of David?! King David openly acknowledging his failures and weaknesses to his subjects. He was not ashamed of allowing the nation to know where he has failed, how he recognised it, repented and was restored. He did not cover it up as many leaders nowadays would do, but instead uses his troubles and errors to give God glory. 

David is not embarrassed of his own wrongdoing, weakness or failure because he knows that through it it shows God’s endurance, love and restoration. He bravely allowed this psalm to be sung at a ceremony knowing that it told of his failure to all the people gathered there. This probably took more courage than the many battles David had to face! Yet he was willing to do it and be thought of less in order for God to be thought of more. He honoured God through his mistakes, he did not hide them, pretend it didn't happen, but David shared about them in such a way that worshipped God.

As the people heard this song and considered its content, I wonder how the people would have responded to their king. If it were me, I would be amazed at his honesty and vulnerability and respect him for it. It would certainly help to recognise that leaders, after all, are human and not perfect - they too need God to step in, intervene, forgive and restore them. This leader, this successful king, one who had reason to be proud, was humbled by God and not afraid to admit it to his kingdom. Not only that but he celebrated through his downfall because God has once again been faithful and forgiven and restored David. This must have stirred the faith of the people and helped them to consider who this God is that David talks about. The humility of David here shows the greatness of God.

What great encouragement!

We do not need to pretend we are perfect or hide our mistakes, but we can worship God for His forgiveness, love, power, restoration, healing, favour, mercy and joy as David did. You do not need to be a king to do that, don't us everyday people also mess up at times as well? We too can decide whether we use each circumstance in life to give God honour. We make mistakes, sometimes we get it right, sometimes we get it wrong. What do you do when you know you've gone wrong? Do you cry out to God for His mercy? God has the power, the capability and favour to change things for you, do you willingly, openly and repentantly seek it? No matter what mess you get yourself into, you have the opportunity to cry out and plead for mercy to the Lord just as David did. When we wholeheartedly accept our errors and want to turn away from them God can turn from anger to favour and turn our weeping to joy. Is that something that you want for your life? Is that something you have experienced in your own life?

Then, what do you do when God shows up and changes things for you? 

David shared this account of his error as a psalm because he wanted the nation to know that they too can approach the mighty, loving, creator God with their issues too. That is why he told this personal testimony. He wanted others to see that the God he serves is just, kind, patient, forgiving and powerful and deserves the praise of us all. Therefore do not be ashamed or scared to share your stories too. Like David, you too could inspire faith and praise to those who hear them. Are you willing to worship God through your mistakes like David did? You can show God's great mercy, forgiveness and love because He still restores, heals and forgives you. It may not be through a public song, but could be to those you work with, friends, neighbours, family. David inspired a nation to follow God under his leadership - who could you inspire to follow God by sharing about how He has really worked in your life?

What is special about Christmas?

 As it approaches Christmas, we all have the opportunity to consider what this time of year is all about. Many of us, whether we have ever been to church or not, or consider ourselves a christian or not, have probably heard something of the nativity, or the Christmas story. The odd and complex story of a baby, some wise men, shepherds, animals, angels and something about a star.  Yet, what was all of that really about?

It was a pretty grand experience if you think about it. How many babies are greeted on Earth in the same way? 

This baby must have been special, all babies are, but this baby, born over 2,000 years ago and still talked about today - surely that is significant, but why? 

Babies are weak, helpless, vulnerable, dependent and messy. So why celebrate above the norm about this child, born in unusual, chaotic circumstances, under a bright star, welcomed by shepherds, angels and wise men? Well, those things for a start show that this child is different! How many baby’s do you know that were born with such a lot going on? Not only this, but this baby was expected. He was awaited for centuries. Before this baby was born, Isaiah, a well-renowned prophet wrote over 700 years before this baby was born, ‘Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel’. 

This was the baby that we celebrate being born that night in a hidden corner of Bethlehem amongst the mess and chaos. Over hundreds of years other prophets have foretold the birth of this baby, and they all match up to point to this baby, this child. 

We can read the account of this birth in Luke 2:1-14;

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. *2*This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. *3*And all went to be registered, each to his own town. *4*And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, *5*to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. *6*And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. *7*And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

*8*And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. *9*And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. *10*And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. *11*For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. *12*And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” *13*And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 

*14* “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

This is the brith of the expected child, the Immanuel. Immanuel means God with us, and what is is significant and important about the birth of this baby is that he is the son of God. God was incarnated - put on flesh - became human to become Immanuel - God with us, God dwelling with us. As John in his gospel puts it - 'the Word became flesh and lived among us’. 

This baby born in an unknown place in the midst of busy town was not an ordinary baby. He was also God. That is what makes this child so special. God; almighty, powerful, creator, dependable, majestic, gigantic God became a weak, vulnerable, messy, adorable, small, helpless baby. He swapped his divinity and strength as the limitless son of God to become dependent and vulnerable in limited human form. 

This is why christians celebrate Christmas! It is about the incarnation - God putting on flesh, becoming human in all it’s limitations. To be Immanuel - God being with us and dwelling with us. It is not just that God became human - He did not come to us as a fully formed and functioning human being, but he came as an incapable, vulnerable, dependent baby. The sin of God gave up all the luxury, riches, power and responsibility to become a helpless, lowly, dependent baby not even in control of his own bodily functions. The almighty creator God put himself in the hands of his created ones - he truly gave up all his majesty to be birthed in those conditions.  

Why would God do that? 

Why would the God of the universe, creator of all things, all-knowing, all-powerful, choose to give up all his deity, power and influence to become a dependent, messy baby? 

He did it so that;

- He could identify with you and I. He became human so that he knew the limiting factors of being so. He had to; learn, develop, grow, navigate relationships and puberty as well as experience emotions, triumph, temptations and trauma just like the rest of us. 

- As Jesus identified with us, he he also demonstrated how we too could live a God-honouring life. As he was fully God and fully man, Jesus could show how to live really giving God the glory. He is a great role model through the way he lived, spoke, taught, acted as well as how he suffered and died. 

- Jesus died, after being cruelly tortured and killed to be our salvation. This is why when he was born he was referred to as a ‘saviour’. Jesus life was intended from the beginning to save us. He died for every wrong you and I have ever committed, he paid the cost of the guilt and shame and separation this brings between us and God - Jesus could be the only one to bridge the gap because he is God and man, and so he obediently did it.

- Ultimately, Jesus did all of this to express God’s love for us. He could only do it properly by becoming a man - how would we relate or understand otherwise? Jesus gave up all of his divine power, knowledge and capabilities to become a limited, frail, vulnerable baby in order to show you and I how much he loves us. 

That is the reality of the incarnation, or what Jesus being Immanuel is and what Christmas is all about. The God of the universe limited himself to the life of a baby to rescue you, restore you and remain with you all your days. Is it any wonder that christians get excited at this time of year?! It is a chance to celebrate and be grateful for the reality of who God is and ti celebrate his love for us all.