Where do you look for love?

 Psalm 118:1–29 (ESV): 

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; 

for his steadfast love endures forever! 

 2  Let Israel say, 

“His steadfast love endures forever.” 

 3  Let the house of Aaron say, 

“His steadfast love endures forever.” 

 4  Let those who fear the Lord say, 

“His steadfast love endures forever.” 

 5  Out of my distress I called on the Lord; 

the Lord answered me and set me free. 

 6  The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. 

What can man do to me? 

 7  The Lord is on my side as my helper; 

I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. 

 8  It is better to take refuge in the Lord 

than to trust in man. 

 9  It is better to take refuge in the Lord 

than to trust in princes. 

 10  All nations surrounded me; 

in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 

 11  They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; 

in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 

 12  They surrounded me like bees; 

they went out like a fire among thorns; 

in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 

 13  I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, 

but the Lord helped me. 

 14  The Lord is my strength and my song; 

he has become my salvation. 

 15  Glad songs of salvation 

are in the tents of the righteous: 

  “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly, 

 16  the right hand of the Lord exalts, 

the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!” 

 17  I shall not die, but I shall live, 

and recount the deeds of the Lord. 

 18  The Lord has disciplined me severely, 

but he has not given me over to death. 

 19  Open to me the gates of righteousness, 

that I may enter through them 

and give thanks to the Lord. 

 20  This is the gate of the Lord; 

the righteous shall enter through it. 

 21  I thank you that you have answered me 

and have become my salvation. 

 22  The stone that the builders rejected 

has become the cornerstone. 

 23  This is the Lord’s doing; 

it is marvellous in our eyes. 

 24  This is the day that the Lord has made; 

let us rejoice and be glad in it. 

 25  Save us, we pray, O Lord! 

O Lord, we pray, give us success! 

 26  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 

We bless you from the house of the Lord. 

 27  The Lord is God, 

and he has made his light to shine upon us. 

 Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, 

up to the horns of the altar! 

 28  You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; 

you are my God; I will extol you. 

 29  Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; 

for his steadfast love endures forever! 

All people are invited to recognise the steadfast love of the Lord. All of those from the nation of Israel - the original chosen people of God. The ‘house of Aaron’ - those selected for religious service to God through their work. As well as anyone who fears the Lord - all who choose to believe in Him. All people, whether they feel set apart or not, whether they are ethnically Jewish or not, work in a church setting or not, everyone has the privilege of receiving and recognising the steadfast love of God. His love and faithfulness are available and accessible to all. Are you living knowing that you are surrounded and supported by the steadfast love of God?

Do not look anywhere else for love or salvation, for only those who look to God as their helper and companion (v5-6) are able to say, ‘The Lord is on my side. I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ In all circumstances, follow Him and trust Him. Then you have the assurance of His presence, power and love working for your good. God’s steadfast love never departs or fades, it outlives everything, every person, trial and success, His love will last for all eternity. It is steadfast, secure, strong, God’s love will never let you down. No wonder the psalmist says, ‘it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.’ God can be depended upon because He always was and He always is. 

You can trust Him in the battles of life because God is honest and loves justice. Therefore He will reveal truth and cause things to work out for the glory of His kingdom every time. So, keep calling out to God when you feel persecuted, surrounded, let down and alone. Remember how this psalmist kept going, even when they felt hard pressed and surrounded by enemies (v10-13). In those times they called out to God, they didn’t trust in any other way, any other scheme, any other person, they trusted in God, and they survived and were victorious! They lived to give honour to God for His miraculous deliverance. You can have a similar outcome when you hold firm to God. 

People will let you down, they will forget, go back on their word, change their allegiance, give up, get distracted and become too busy. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t care, just that they are not capable of providing the steadfast love and support you require. If you expect people to provide you comfort, salvation, strength and joy, you are looking for it in the wrong place. Only God can be your constant helper, protector, deliverer and refuge. He is your deliverer, protector, help, comforter, strength, Lord and saviour - are you looking to Him to for those things or elsewhere?

Loved eternally, beyond measure and mistakes

 Psalm 117:1–2 (ESV): 

Praise the Lord, all nations! 

Extol him, all peoples! 

 2  For great is his steadfast love toward us, 

and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. 

 Praise the Lord! 

Short and sweet this psalm, a mere two verses. Yet, take the time to consider their focus and you can spend hours letting them lead you to worship the God they speak of!

Firstly, there is an invitation for all people to worship God, all people! Written at a time when Israel was the only holy nation, the only people with the ark of the covenant, or a temple to the Living God. When specific stipulations and cleansing rituals had to be completed before entering this temple, the psalmist uses his few lines to tell ALL people to honour, love and praise the same God. God has always wanted everyone to come to Him. From all walks of life, all nations of the Earth, young and old, rich and poor, no matter how perfect or imperfect, capable or not, intelligent or not, healthy or not, all people are invited and welcomed to praise the Lord! You do not have to be perfect, sin-free or righteous to approach God, just willing to say yes because you’ve been invited! God loves you so much, He wants to meet you and for you to get to know who He is.

This psalm states, ‘For great is his steadfast love toward us’. Are you seeking to be loved? God’s love is so great that He can invite all people to share His heart and His love. His love is big enough to include everyone into His family. His love is so strong and secure that He can accept and forgive anyone and everyone, no exceptions. No matter what - His love never fails, never wears down, never fades, never gets fed up, never has enough and never walks out on you. His love instead is, 'steadfast' and ‘endures forever’! 

Do you want to receive this kind of love today? To know that you are;  loved unconditionally, without compromise or conditions and welcomed whether you have had a good day or not, behaved well or not. This love is available to you. It is available to all people and can only be found in one place. The Lord our God loves you like that. Stop seeking for this steadfast love in other places, other people and other things, they will only disappoint you, they cannot love you like this. Only the Living God can provide you eternal, steadfast love. His love is available right now, do you accept it?

You can accept and revel in being loved beyond measure, beyond mistakes and successes, beyond background and culture, beyond yesterday and today, for great is His steadfast love towards you. Praise the Lord!

The one leper

Psalm 116:1–19 (ESV): 

116 I love the Lord, because he has heard 

my voice and my pleas for mercy. 

 2  Because he inclined his ear to me, 

therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 

 3  The snares of death encompassed me; 

the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; 

I suffered distress and anguish. 

 4  Then I called on the name of the Lord: 

“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!” 

 5  Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; 

our God is merciful. 

 6  The Lord preserves the simple; 

when I was brought low, he saved me. 

 7  Return, O my soul, to your rest; 

for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. 

 8  For you have delivered my soul from death, 

my eyes from tears, 

my feet from stumbling; 

 9  I will walk before the Lord 

in the land of the living. 

 10  I believed, even when I spoke: 

“I am greatly afflicted”; 

 11  I said in my alarm, 

“All mankind are liars.” 

 12  What shall I render to the Lord 

for all his benefits to me? 

 13  I will lift up the cup of salvation 

and call on the name of the Lord, 

 14  I will pay my vows to the Lord 

in the presence of all his people. 

 15  Precious in the sight of the Lord 

is the death of his saints. 

 16  O Lord, I am your servant; 

I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. 

You have loosed my bonds. 

 17  I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving 

and call on the name of the Lord. 

 18  I will pay my vows to the Lord 

in the presence of all his people, 

 19  in the courts of the house of the Lord, 

in your midst, O Jerusalem. 

  Praise the Lord! 

Has God ever rescued you?

If you trust and believe in Him, have given your life to honour and worship Him, He has, and probably more than once. He first rescued you when He saved your life through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus by rescuing you from sin. I am sure there are other situations when God has intervened, that you can look back on like this psalmist, and recognise that God ‘has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy’. 

It is important to acknowledge, accept and bring honour to God for the work He has done in your life. For the way He has broken through, for how He has sustained and rescued you, provided for you, delivered you from harm, transformed situations, and turned enemies away from you. Do not take His love and power for granted, but give God the praise and gratitude He deserves and has earned. Are you good at that? Thanking and praising God for what He has brought you through and saved you from? Or do you struggle to see His work and find yourself complaining to Him about the next thing? 

Be like the one leper out of the ten that was healed by Jesus and turned back to show gratitude. For, ‘he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks’ (Luke 17:15-16). Be like that. Nine out of the ten people in that situation took their healing and left. Only one said thank you and acknowledged that God had done a great work in them, and thought to praise God for transforming his life. Be like that one, and this psalmist. It is easy to take God’s work and intervention for granted, to get on with life healed, situations resolved and provision given. Do not forget how those things changed. Honour God and reflect on this, ‘what shall i render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?’ For all that God has done in your life, He deserves your worship, your gratitude. When you do something well, or help someone out, you expect a thank you. God has not only helped you out, but He has saved your life and rescued you from hell as well as the everyday matters He intervenes in. How much more should you be chasing after Him like that one leper to show your gratitude! He ran to Jesus, was loud in his praise and fell at Jesus feet in honour. Is this how you respond when you see God has worked in your life?  

You too can say to God, ‘you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling’. Think about it, God has delivered you from eternal death to eternal life, He has saved you from some heartbreak and there are times when He has intervened when you could have got hurt or gone wrong. Acknowledge those times and give glory to God for His work, do not keep your testimony and praise private - the leper ran and was loud! He didn’t care who saw or heard him, he just needed to show how grateful he was, and he was honoured by Jesus for it. Let your praise and gratitude be loud because you are not trying to bring attention to yourself but to the God who has done so much for you. He has transformed your life, given you hope, so show your gratitude.

Through demonstrating your praise and thankfulness, who knows who you could encourage or inspire. Your stories of hope, breakthrough, healing or provision can influence others simply by expressing joy about God’s power in your life. God has given you salvation, He has delivered you, poured out blessings upon you, loosed your bonds, given you salvation, healed you, protected you, exalted you, forgiven you and saved your life! Therefore thank Him. Honour Him and give to Him. Then tell others about how great He is. He deserves your thanksgiving. 

Are you like the one leper who went out of his way to turn back and show gratitude, or are you like the 9 who accepted God's blessing and just got on with life? Be like the one to whom Jesus says, “Rise and go your way, your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19).

What are you allowing to influence your life?

Psalm 115:1–18 (ESV):

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, 

for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! 

 2  Why should the nations say, 

“Where is their God?” 

 3  Our God is in the heavens; 

he does all that he pleases. 

 4  Their idols are silver and gold, 

the work of human hands. 

 5  They have mouths, but do not speak; 

eyes, but do not see. 

 6  They have ears, but do not hear; 

noses, but do not smell. 

 7  They have hands, but do not feel; 

feet, but do not walk; 

and they do not make a sound in their throat. 

 8  Those who make them become like them; 

so do all who trust in them. 

 9  O Israel, trust in the Lord! 

He is their help and their shield. 

 10  O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! 

He is their help and their shield. 

 11  You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! 

He is their help and their shield. 

 12  The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us; 

he will bless the house of Israel; 

he will bless the house of Aaron; 

 13  he will bless those who fear the Lord, 

both the small and the great. 

 14  May the Lord give you increase, 

you and your children! 

 15  May you be blessed by the Lord, 

who made heaven and earth! 

 16  The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, 

but the earth he has given to the children of man. 

 17  The dead do not praise the Lord, 

nor do any who go down into silence. 

 18  But we will bless the Lord 

from this time forth and forevermore. 

  Praise the Lord! 

What are you allowing to influence your life? Is it the living God or things that are created by human hands?

In the days this psalm was written, people worshipped man-made items which represented gods. This still happens in different religions and cultures, but in Western civilisation it is not as common. This does not mean that we are immune from idol-worship though. How about trusting in money, working to get a great house or saving for your dream car? Then, once that has been attained, endeavouring to protect, develop, appreciate and trust in the beauty, structure, success or safety these things seem to provide. This is how everyday things, stuff that we desire, or believe can make a foundational difference to our lives through their beneficial aspects, can become idols. Anything that is man-made that we find undue joy in, fascination or desire for, becomes an idol as we allow it to influence our lives. When an object begins to  have an impact on your behaviours, efforts, affections and finances, it has become and idol. 

Yet these things are designed and manufactured by mere mortals, by human hands, they will not last and will not fulfil your desires. They are designed for a purpose, but they are not meant to be worshipped and admired to the degree that they influence the pattern of your life. Ultimately the things that become idols  will not satisfy, bring hope, the joy they provide is short-lived and the security you find in them will wane. Something better might come along, there may be a disaster that strikes, and that thing will let you down. It was never meant to have such a prominent place in your heart and mind. What happens when the idol no longer satisfies, brings what you thought it would, or fails?

One of the problems is; idols have no hands, feet, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, or a mouth to speak to you. They cannot encourage you, comfort you, develop you or challenge you, yet they can change you. Be aware of how much you love and invest in stuff. Be on guard about how much of your attention and affection you provide to things. For the promise of this psalm is that those who desire such lifeless things ‘become like them’. Mute, immoveable, uncaring, stiff and lifeless. This is a stark warning. Is there is anything in your life that you are looking to for; satisfaction, security, guidance, hope, or a future, that isn’t God? Then consider - is it worth it? Surely you do not want to become as worthless, immoveable and mute as these idols! There is only One who is worthy of worship, who deserves all of your time, attention, finances and energy - that is the Lord God. Everything else should be in submission to Him. For in reality, He is the One who made everything, He alone is your help and shield, and is deserving of your trust. He alone can listen to and speak to you, He can comfort you, aid you and protect you. So, why worship the created when you can worship the creator?

‘Trust in the Lord’. He is the One who can offer real, intentional help and protection (v11). He has a mind to remember you (v12), He can bless you (v13) and impact your family for good (v14). Other things cannot, so do not give your life over to something that offers you less. Do not waste your time, money and efforts in attempting to build safety in man-made things. Do not put hope and joy in stuff, but consider where can you get real relationship, real security, real hope. Live your life trusting God and worshipping Him, the One who steadfastly loves you and is faithful. He will provide you with an everlasting security, hope and future, are you trusting in Him only?

The God of Jacob and of Judah

Psalm 114:1–8 (ESV): 

When Israel went out from Egypt, 

the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, 

 2  Judah became his sanctuary, 

Israel his dominion. 

 3  The sea looked and fled; 

Jordan turned back. 

 4  The mountains skipped like rams, 

the hills like lambs. 

 5  What ails you, O sea, that you flee? 

O Jordan, that you turn back? 

 6  O mountains, that you skip like rams? 

O hills, like lambs? 

 7  Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, 

at the presence of the God of Jacob, 

 8  who turns the rock into a pool of water, 

the flint into a spring of water. 

This psalm refers to the nation of Israel in several ways to emphasise different aspects of their experience. One of these is the ‘house of Jacob’.  This refers to those who entered Egypt during the years that Joseph was second in command in that nation. When he invited his family to come and reside in Goshen with permission of the Pharaoh. Therefore it is appropriate that this psalm links the nation’s escape from Egypt to the people who entered it. For these are the ones from whom all the Israelites have descended from since being there. What once started off in Egypt as a poor, withering family due to famine, had become a vast and prospering people, significant enough to become a nation! Thus demonstrating something of the perfect plan, power and purposes of God, even in their slavery and oppression. Even though the Israelites were downtrodden and ill-treated for generations, they had become numerous, so much so that the current Pharaoh and Egyptians now considered them a threat. So, referring to the people of Israel as the house of Jacob tells a story. It is a reminder of what God has done and can do. For His might and power are always the pervading authority no matter the circumstances! 

The people who left Egypt are also named as Judah, the leading tribe of the nation of Israel. Judah was known for it’s power, strength, and for the fact that the promised Messiah would come from them. This is the tribe that ‘became his sanctuary’, a place of safety, security and the presence of God thereby signifying His holiness and strength. Once the nation arrived at the Promised Land, the holy town of Jerusalem where the temple was built was in Judah, centrally located, just as God is central to the nation of Israel, His chosen people.

We can see that through simply identifying different names for Israel, this psalmist connects the Israelites past to the the future promises of God. It reminds us of God's favour, His work through the trials, and His assurance that wherever His people are, He will be at the centre, providing His holiness and strength, and always fulfilling His promises. Where God's people are, there He is, whatever they are going through, He has a plan, whoever seems to be in power, He is more powerful and He looks over and cares for His own. 

This psalm continues to tells us that at the mere sight of this nation, ‘the sea looked and fled’ and ‘the mountains skipped like rams’. For ‘the presence of the Lord’ is with His people. Do you know that the presence of God is STILL with His people, as magnificent and powerful today as it was then? 

God can and does still do miraculous and incredible things through and for His people. He is still redeeming people from slavery, providing for their needs, helping them escape and endure oppression, causing natural phenomena to protect and guide them. God can and does mighty works today in the lives of those who follow Him, whether it is following Him to another town or nation, through difficulty or into freedom and blessing, you can still see God working today. 

Therefore expect the unexpected, pray big and keep following Him for who knows how you will see God’s might and power displayed next -  He is the God of Jacob, the God of Judah, and the God of those who follow Him. So, you can trust Him with whatever season of life you are in, and in all circumstances.

Praise the Lord!

 Psalm 113:1–9 (ESV): 

113 Praise the Lord! 

Praise, O servants of the Lord, 

praise the name of the Lord! 

 2  Blessed be the name of the Lord 

from this time forth and forevermore! 

 3  From the rising of the sun to its setting, 

the name of the Lord is to be praised! 

 4  The Lord is high above all nations, 

and his glory above the heavens! 

 5  Who is like the Lord our God, 

who is seated on high, 

 6  who looks far down 

on the heavens and the earth? 

 7  He raises the poor from the dust 

and lifts the needy from the ash heap, 

 8  to make them sit with princes, 

with the princes of his people. 

 9  He gives the barren woman a home, 

making her the joyous mother of children. 

Praise the Lord! 

When should you worship?

It can be easy to think that worship is for a gathering of believers, and it is often associated with singing, but here we are told, ‘From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!’ God certainly deserves to be worshipped all day long, so what is this form of praise that we can continue all day, for surely no-one can be expected to sing to God all day?! 

To praise something means to express approval or admiration for. So praise can take many forms. It can be in the way you; talk about others/God, express gratitude, read the Bible, dance, play music, listen to teaching, think about God, pray, behave, and the way you carry out tasks. As you can see there are many ways that you can praise God. It involves what your mind is doing, and what your motivation is for what you are doing. You can wash dishes and be admiring God, or take out the rubbish and be considering God’s words. You can even be doing something that you don’t like doing, but you know that it will bless others, so you do it as a sacrifice of praise because that is your motivation. This is how it is possible to praise God throughout the day. You can display your admiration and approval of God in your workplace, community, area of study, at home, around family, friends and strangers, from the moment you wake up til you go to sleep. For true praise means that you carry the concern of honouring God in your life in every area of it. So, during your daily life, are you praising God? It is normal to think of other things too, not every thought will be directed to Him, the dishes do need washing and the rubbish needs dealing with, work needs to be done and people cared for. Yet you can carry out these activities with an attitude of praise to Almighty God. For this psalm doesn't just invite or encourage God's praise, but it commands it. For someone who follows God, worshipping Him is not optional, this psalm tells you to; Praise the fact He is Lord, praise His name, praise His glory, praise Him because He is above all things, praise Him as He transforms lives of poverty and barrenness to honour and fruitfulness. However you do it, praise Him. God deserves it. Even if you consider one aspect of God, one verse, or one thing He has done, it will lift your spirit and you will be directing praise to where it is due, to The Lord. How about considering that, ‘The Lord is high above all nations’ or, ‘who is like the Lord our God’ throughout your day? I wonder what will be revealed to you in the process and how grateful and in wonder you will be of Him. 

When you set your mind to admire God in your day, you are joining with people all over the Earth in praising Him, as well as the hosts of heaven to consider the greatness of God! You are not alone in your praise. God is getting approval and admiration from across the World and beyond. There are many who are lifting Him up, extolling Him and honouring Him, remembering Him and enjoying thinking about Him. From princes to the poor, the childless to parents - they all praise the Lord and have reason to be joyful because of Him. Are you joining with them in praising God, 'from the rising of the sun to its setting'?