Remember

Psalm 78:35–72 (ESV): 

35  They remembered that God was their rock, 

the Most High God their redeemer. 

 36  But they flattered him with their mouths; 

they lied to him with their tongues. 

 37  Their heart was not steadfast toward him; 

they were not faithful to his covenant. 

 38  Yet he, being compassionate, 

atoned for their iniquity 

and did not destroy them; 

  he restrained his anger often 

and did not stir up all his wrath. 

 39  He remembered that they were but flesh, 

a wind that passes and comes not again. 

 40  How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness 

and grieved him in the desert! 

 41  They tested God again and again 

and provoked the Holy One of Israel. 

 42  They did not remember his power 

or the day when he redeemed them from the foe, 

 43  when he performed his signs in Egypt 

and his marvels in the fields of Zoan. 

 44  He turned their rivers to blood, 

so that they could not drink of their streams. 

 45  He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, 

and frogs, which destroyed them. 

 46  He gave their crops to the destroying locust 

and the fruit of their labor to the locust. 

 47  He destroyed their vines with hail 

and their sycamores with frost. 

 48  He gave over their cattle to the hail 

and their flocks to thunderbolts. 

 49  He let loose on them his burning anger, 

wrath, indignation, and distress, 

a company of destroying angels. 

 50  He made a path for his anger; 

he did not spare them from death, 

but gave their lives over to the plague. 

 51  He struck down every firstborn in Egypt, 

the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham. 

 52  Then he led out his people like sheep 

and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 

 53  He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid, 

but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 

 54  And he brought them to his holy land, 

to the mountain which his right hand had won. 

 55  He drove out nations before them; 

he apportioned them for a possession 

and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents. 

 56  Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God 

and did not keep his testimonies, 

 57  but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; 

they twisted like a deceitful bow. 

 58  For they provoked him to anger with their high places; 

they moved him to jealousy with their idols. 

 59  When God heard, he was full of wrath, 

and he utterly rejected Israel. 

 60  He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, 

the tent where he dwelt among mankind, 

 61  and delivered his power to captivity, 

his glory to the hand of the foe. 

 62  He gave his people over to the sword 

and vented his wrath on his heritage. 

 63  Fire devoured their young men, 

and their young women had no marriage song. 

 64  Their priests fell by the sword, 

and their widows made no lamentation. 

 65  Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, 

like a strong man shouting because of wine. 

 66  And he put his adversaries to rout; 

he put them to everlasting shame. 

 67  He rejected the tent of Joseph; 

he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, 

 68  but he chose the tribe of Judah, 

Mount Zion, which he loves. 

 69  He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, 

like the earth, which he has founded forever. 

 70  He chose David his servant 

and took him from the sheepfolds; 

 71  from following the nursing ewes he brought him 

to shepherd Jacob his people, 

Israel his inheritance. 

 72  With upright heart he shepherded them 

and guided them with his skilful hand. 

Humanity is fickle. God is not.

That is what these verses show - People’s ideas, behaviours, views and values change. Culture adapts and tells itself it is progressive, yet, ‘What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun’ (Ecclesiastes 1:9). The reality is, your ideas, lifestyle and choices are nothing that the world hasn’t already seen. People have been getting it right and getting it wrong for millennia. Humanity changes their values and beliefs based on what suits them at the time. This has been shown throughout history including in the Biblical historical accounts as summarised in this psalm. There have been times when God is appreciated and remembered then centuries where he has been forgotten and ignored. Each generation is the same, they have times when they follow their forefathers transgressions, and they have times when they consider God. 

Asaph is reminding the people that even God’s very own, selected and set apart people, make choices to live with Him or without Him (v35-37). Every generation has this same fundamental issue - choosing to live God’s way or their own. Even the people who would say they believe in God, through disobedience and ingratitude go astray. Why? Because, ‘They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe.’ You end up far from God when you forget. 

It is easy to do as life goes on and different events happen, the memories of victory, breakthrough, healing and miracles wane as everyday life continues. People forget how awesome God is and do not remind themselves of His redemption, great love and incredible works. Instead, just getting on with life and having other things to remember can make remembering God's greatness and marvellous works less of a priority. What do you remember God doing? What prayers have you had answered? How have you seen God move and breakthrough in this current time or in the past? Make the effort to remember. It will build your faith, expectations and prayer life as well as your joy in your current pattern of life. Plus if you do not remember, it is easy to forget and you can easily be led into astray. Into ways and practices that lead you away from God, into sin and disobedience. 

The Israelites in the situations described in this psalm did not just wake up one day and decide to go away from God. It was a gradual process, maybe from not reading The Word, not praying as much, not sharing testimonies, not gathering together to worship, basically allowing other things to take priority in life other than God. It is easy to gradually slide away from God and get distracted when you do not set your mind to remember His goodness. Not remembering means you forget how great God really is and you fail to see the love, power and salvation available to you. This is what happened with the Israelites. Time and again they failed to remember which resulted in them doing what they wanted, getting involved with the cultural practices of others, sinning. They walked away from God which meant they incurred the wrath of God (v40, 49-50, 58-59) and had to experience life without His protection  

This is what can happen when you fail to remember. When you forget the enormous and gracious things God has done, you lose focus and end up gradually moving away from honouring and loving God in the way you live your life. So, God lets you get on with it. God loves you so much He lets you choose how to live your life, He wants your love, faithfulness and obedience, but He lets you make the choice. God also loves you so much that He gives you access to many different people's experiences of living life both with and without Him so that you know what is best for you. He has made it clear that if you opt to live life dishonouring Him then this means you'll be without His love and protection. 

Alternatively you can live a life set on remembering who God is and His works. This psalm not only shows the result of forgetting God's greatness, but also shows God’s forgiving nature. Time and again He welcomes the people of Israel back when they turn to Him. God forgives sin and restores people and nations when they approach Him. His faithfulness is secure and reliable.This psalm shows how God reconciles the Israelites to Himself again and again. He can do that for you too. When you repent, seek His forgiveness and recognise that He is, The Most High'.  He will restore you, love you and protect you. 

So, set your mind to honour and obey Him and 'forget not all His benefits' (Psalm 103:2)

Incline your ears....

 We shall look at Psalm 78 in two parts as it is quite long, so here we have the first 35 verses. Let us consider what they show us about God and man.

Psalm 78:1–35 (ESV):  

1  Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; 

incline your ears to the words of my mouth! 

 2  I will open my mouth in a parable; 

I will utter dark sayings from of old, 

 3  things that we have heard and known, 

that our fathers have told us. 

 4  We will not hide them from their children, 

but tell to the coming generation 

  the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, 

and the wonders that he has done. 

 5  He established a testimony in Jacob 

and appointed a law in Israel, 

  which he commanded our fathers 

to teach to their children, 

 6  that the next generation might know them, 

the children yet unborn, 

  and arise and tell them to their children, 

 7  so that they should set their hope in God 

  and not forget the works of God, 

but keep his commandments; 

 8  and that they should not be like their fathers, 

a stubborn and rebellious generation, 

  a generation whose heart was not steadfast, 

whose spirit was not faithful to God. 

 9  The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, 

turned back on the day of battle. 

 10  They did not keep God’s covenant, 

but refused to walk according to his law. 

 11  They forgot his works 

and the wonders that he had shown them. 

 12  In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders 

in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan. 

 13  He divided the sea and let them pass through it, 

and made the waters stand like a heap. 

 14  In the daytime he led them with a cloud, 

and all the night with a fiery light. 

 15  He split rocks in the wilderness 

and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. 

 16  He made streams come out of the rock 

and caused waters to flow down like rivers. 

 17  Yet they sinned still more against him, 

rebelling against the Most High in the desert. 

 18  They tested God in their heart 

by demanding the food they craved. 

 19  They spoke against God, saying, 

“Can God spread a table in the wilderness? 

 20  He struck the rock so that water gushed out 

and streams overflowed. 

  Can he also give bread 

or provide meat for his people?” 

21  Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath; 

a fire was kindled against Jacob; 

his anger rose against Israel, 

 22  because they did not believe in God 

and did not trust his saving power. 

23  Yet he commanded the skies above 

and opened the doors of heaven, 

 24  and he rained down on them manna to eat 

and gave them the grain of heaven. 

 25  Man ate of the bread of the angels; 

he sent them food in abundance. 

 26  He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, 

and by his power he led out the south wind; 

 27  he rained meat on them like dust, 

winged birds like the sand of the seas; 

 28  he let them fall in the midst of their camp, 

all around their dwellings. 

 29  And they ate and were well filled, 

for he gave them what they craved. 

 30  But before they had satisfied their craving, 

while the food was still in their mouths, 

 31  the anger of God rose against them, 

and he killed the strongest of them 

and laid low the young men of Israel. 

 32  In spite of all this, they still sinned; 

despite his wonders, they did not believe. 

 33  So he made their days vanish like a breath, 

and their years in terror. 

 34  When he killed them, they sought him; 

they repented and sought God earnestly. 

 35  They remembered that God was their rock, 

the Most High God their redeemer. 

As we consider this psalm we see the importance of remembering. Asaph implores the people to listen to the stories he has to tell about God’s greatness, His majestic power, justice, holiness and reliable record of works. He calls them to remember - recall what God has done. It is vital that we take time to learn about and consider the works of God of old. From your own life, from others, previous generations as well as from the Bible. Make sure you are aware of the stories of God’s people and listen to others as they demonstrate and speak of what God has done. It will build your faith, encourage and help you in times of temptation and need. Do not have the attitude that your life and generation are so unique or that the past is irrelevant - that is pride and will lead to your downfall. Instead, ‘give ear’ to the sound teaching available to you. 

Asaph is a reliable source to listen to - he is a leader in the temple, renowned songwriter, worship leader and faithful servant of God. So it is worth listening to what he has discovered about the life of Israel and the character of God. He encourages those who hear his words to really listen and take onboard what he is saying because he knows the value of understanding the works of God and His character. Through the psalms he has written we have seen that Asaph points people to God even when he is struggling. By so doing he is demonstrating how to endure trials well, how to grow in faith and appreciate God. He shares his thoughts, questions and concerns, his actions and the conclusions he finds. Through these writings Asaph reveals something of his own, steadfast, faithful and faith-filled character as well as assuring us that God is always in charge, always compassionate, always strong and always caring. 

Where do you look to when you are full of concerns and questions? 

Do you have someone in your life like Asaph - a faith-filled man or woman who will show you God no matter what? It is worth seeking out the company of such people. Those who have a sound understanding of doctrine and are willing and able to share testimonies of God’s greatness (past and present). Ensure that you value people who have learnt about God’s love and forgiveness and can tell you stories of God’s patience, holiness, miracles and power. They will encourage and inspire you to keep going when life gets tough and may well help you avoid mistakes and disobedience when you listen to them. You need others to help inform your faith. There are those around you who know and understand more than you, that are wiser and more mature. They have been instructed to teach the younger generation (v5-7). These people wish to invest in you and help you avoid being part of ‘a stubborn and rebellious generation’ by leading you to, ‘not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments’. That is the one of the purposes of sharing testimonies and stories - to help you avoid the mistakes that previous God following people have made. The aim is to encourage you to avoid distractions and despair so that you can live a fulfilled and faithful life with God championing and protecting you. So, I encourage you to allow others to speak into your life in order to help you remember that ‘God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.’ There are wonderful, faithful, understanding people in your midst. Do not dismiss their stories or explanations, but take care to be informed and consider how these things impact your life today. Do ‘not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments’ and consider ‘the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done’! Then you won’t have to live under God’s wrath (v21-22, 31-34) but in His love, redemption and steadfast love. 

What do you do when you have questions?

 Psalm 77:1–20 (ESV):  

1  I cry aloud to God, 

aloud to God, and he will hear me. 

2  In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; 

in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; 

my soul refuses to be comforted. 

3  When I remember God, I moan; 

when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah 

4  You hold my eyelids open; 

I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 

5  I consider the days of old, 

the years long ago. 

6  I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; 

let me meditate in my heart.” 

Then my spirit made a diligent search: 

7  “Will the Lord spurn forever, 

and never again be favourable? 

8  Has his steadfast love forever ceased? 

Are his promises at an end for all time? 

9  Has God forgotten to be gracious? 

Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah 

10  Then I said, “I will appeal to this, 

to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” 

11  I will remember the deeds of the Lord; 

yes, I will remember your wonders of old. 

12  I will ponder all your work, 

and meditate on your mighty deeds. 

13  Your way, O God, is holy. 

What god is great like our God? 

14  You are the God who works wonders; 

you have made known your might among the peoples. 

15  You with your arm redeemed your people, 

the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah 

16  When the waters saw you, O God, 

when the waters saw you, they were afraid; 

indeed, the deep trembled. 

17  The clouds poured out water; 

the skies gave forth thunder; 

your arrows flashed on every side. 

18  The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; 

your lightnings lighted up the world; 

the earth trembled and shook. 

19  Your way was through the sea, 

your path through the great waters; 

yet your footprints were unseen. 

20  You led your people like a flock 

by the hand of Moses and Aaron. 

Ever felt so distressed that you have lost sleep (v4)? Or had questions like Asaph does in V7–9?:  

7  “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favourable? 

8  Has his steadfast love forever ceased? 

Are his promises at an end for all time? 

9  Has God forgotten to be gracious? 

Has he in anger shut up his compassion?”’ 

It is ok to ask such things, to seek understanding and to even question God. Asaph was clearly in a troubled state and so he asked himself what did he really know about the character of God. He made an effort to search his own understanding, he looked at the past and considered what he knew. When you are in distress, you can do the same. Plus you also have the privilege of being able to access the Bible in your search, you do not need to rely purely on recent testimonies, but can also depend upon historical accounts of God and His people. What a comfort and strength that is for when you have such questions!

When you do wonder about what God is up to, don’t allow; culture, current news stories, other people or your own ideas frame the responses. Go to where you will get solid, unchanging answers and diligently search as Asaph did. He searched his memory for the stories of God’s people, he tried to discover the nature of God through accounts and he remembered how God has allowed suffering but always come through for those faithful to His name. Asaph, although in despair, chose not to just sit and mope but became active in seeking answers. He was curious and intent on finding a solution in the weary distress he was experiencing (v1-4). He was determined to figure out where God was, and so he set his mind saying, 'I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. 12  I will ponder'. Asaph was determined to not allow this present trouble shake his faith, instead he ensured that he looked for God in it and made a thorough search of his memory and history to see God's overarching powerful presence. 

Asaph had questions, which can be unsettling, but quite natural, when you go through unforeseen and undesired events. Questions can also be a helpful way to process if you are asking the right ones. Asking why is rarely ever helpful or easy to find an answer to, but questions like the ones Asaph asked can be answered; will God leave forever? Has He forgotten His promises? Is He going to be angry all the time and not be gracious or compassionate? In order to resolve these fears and answer such queries Asaph set his mind to, ‘remember the deeds of the Lord’. He did some research, setting his mind to recall previous events in order to determine whether God’s love and anger are steadfast, and is He really going to fulfil His promises. Asaph needed to know these answers so he put in the time, effort and energy to diligently search out the solutions. He did not sit back and wait for God to prove himself, Asaph knew God has already done that, so Asaph went in search for what he needed to know, and he was satisfied. 

When you also take time to read the Bible, look at previous experiences and ponder on God’s work you too will discover the answers to the questions you need. You will find out if God is favourable, steadfast, loving, keeps His word and is compassionate. Life and His word will teach you these things. Even if you feel ‘so troubled I cannot speak’, you can still ‘consider the days of old’ and recall the times of God’s favour and bounty, then through these things learn about the nature of God. In order to endure difficult times well allow your spirit to make ‘a diligent search’. Put in the effort to discover and remember the great character of the Lord God, His mighty deeds and working of wonders. Then consider; is He loving, steadfast, compassionate, favourable and reliable?

Asaph recounts what He knows of God and some of the Israelite experiences and he sees God’s faithful love, miraculous power, compassion, kindness, fearsome might, and ability to do the impossible. Therefore, no matter what trouble occurs, cannot God display the same characteristics again?! God has rescued His people before and He will do so again (v19). You can be assured that God takes care of the righteous ones; the ones who love, follow and rely on Him. They will be rescued, redeemed and rewarded. Yet it is not always easy to see what He is doing. You have to to look deeply and diligently. Asaph notes that even though God led the Israelites through the Red Sea, His ‘footprints were unseen’. Unless you ensure that you are searching thoroughly for God in life, you may well miss what He is doing, you could miss seeing His footprints. It is easy to miss or overlook God’s influence, power and leading for His work can be ‘unseen’. 

Do you look for God’s unseen works in your life? You might miss them if you don’t, so why not ask Him to reveal His presence in the times of old and see what you discover about His character.

Do not let situations dictate your faith, but let your faith dictate how you handle any situation!

 Psalm 43:1–5 (ESV): 

1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause 

against an ungodly people, 

from the deceitful and unjust man 

deliver me! 

2  For you are the God in whom I take refuge; 

why have you rejected me? 

Why do I go about mourning 

because of the oppression of the enemy? 

3  Send out your light and your truth; 

let them lead me; 

let them bring me to your holy hill 

and to your dwelling! 

4  Then I will go to the altar of God, 

to God my exceeding joy, 

and I will praise you with the lyre, 

O God, my God. 

5  Why are you cast down, O my soul, 

and why are you in turmoil within me? 

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, 

my salvation and my God. 

This psalm is rather similar to the previous one and ends with exactly the same verse therefore it is reasonable to assume that they have the same author, most probably David. As both of these psalms also reference sorrow, harassment and a desire to be in God’s presence it makes sense for them both to be attributed to the same circumstances and author.

As mentioned, this psalmist is suffering. Due to this they have considered their predicament, evaluating his own heart and actions in the process and wondered if he has erred or sinned.  After examining himself, he clearly finds nothing deserving of discipline or punishment and so his first words of this psalm are 'vindicate me'. Only someone who is innocent can be vindicated as this word means to prove righteousness, and so the author must have reason to be assured of their integrity and innocence. Yet what this person is experiencing right now seems punishment. Have you ever encountered a time when you have felt unfairly treated? Or when you are punished for something you haven't done? It is easy in those times to fight back and become adamant and indignant in your self-righteousness, and who can blame you? It is unjust and unfair. However this writer, although he knows he does not deserve this discomfort and pain, he calls upon God to support and clear his name. He does not blame God or take matters into his own hands, but trusts and relies on God to, 'defend my cause'. This in itself must have been painful! To not retaliate, to not fight his own corner, the internal conflict is real. Instead this psalmist has considered and concluded that this battle is not his, but God's. As a man of God who has done his best to live right, he calls upon God to vindicate and rescue him. The author knows that God can work out things better than he can. They know God can give; vindication, refuge, rescue, restoration, joy, truth, guidance, hope and salvation. What could they do that would offer a better result?! When you are caught in a battle, or in a situation in which you are an innocent suffering party, assess your own actions first, then know and trust can and will vindicate and defend you too. If you need; refuge, rescue, salvation, joy, truth, guidance and hope, you can call upon and trust in Him to redeem the situation in a way that cannot be achieved any other way, and it is worth waiting for. 

It is horrible to have to go through and endure these things, this psalmist understands, and seems to be reminding himself that he is alright with God and can rely on him even when he is surrounded by difficulty, feels stuck and ‘cast down’. Have you ever felt like that? If so, then you, like this writer, probably need to remind yourself of the truth of who God is and what He can do.

Difficult times can cloud over your heart and mind and cause you to start to believe in the lies and disaster around you rather than continuing to hope in God. Once you start to remember the truth of who you are and who God is as well as what you can expect from Him - you have already won! Changing your mindset is half the battle. This psalmist has begun to walk in victory already by trusting in the character and nature of God. You have the opportunity to do the same when you meet trials. When circumstances can no longer dictate your mental or emotional state. and you learn to depend on and honour God no matter what, you are victorious! You are just waiting for the final triumph and vindication to come, for restoration to arrive and light and truth to reveal the reality. You are already victorious and vindicated so you can live with that mindset even as suffer. During the tough times continue to praise and honour God. Be inspired to hope when everything feels oppressive, disastrous and difficult. Remember who you are to God, and who He is and what He has done already. 

You have God on your side even if everyone else around you abandons you or turns against you. You can, along with David encourage yourself to, ‘Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God’. Do not let situations dictate your faith, but let your faith dictate how you handle any situation!

Hope in God

 Psalm 42:1–11 (ESV):  

1  As a deer pants for flowing streams, 

so pants my soul for you, O God. 

2  My soul thirsts for God, 

for the living God. 

When shall I come and appear before God? 

3  My tears have been my food 

day and night, 

while they say to me all the day long, 

“Where is your God?” 

4  These things I remember, 

as I pour out my soul: 

how I would go with the throng 

and lead them in procession to the house of God 

with glad shouts and songs of praise, 

a multitude keeping festival. 

5  Why are you cast down, O my soul, 

and why are you in turmoil within me? 

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, 

my salvation 6 and my God. 

My soul is cast down within me; 

therefore I remember you 

from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, 

from Mount Mizar. 

7  Deep calls to deep 

at the roar of your waterfalls; 

all your breakers and your waves 

have gone over me. 

8  By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, 

and at night his song is with me, 

a prayer to the God of my life. 

9  I say to God, my rock: 

“Why have you forgotten me? 

Why do I go mourning 

because of the oppression of the enemy?” 

10  As with a deadly wound in my bones, 

my adversaries taunt me, 

while they say to me all the day long, 

“Where is your God?” 

11  Why are you cast down, O my soul, 

and why are you in turmoil within me? 

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, 

my salvation and my God. 

Can you imagine a time when you are prevented from being in the presence of God and amongst His people? The author of this psalm, likely to be David, has experienced such a time as do many persecuted christians across the world. This writer, whether they are David or not, has been physically prevented from attending the temple. Today, some people may be able to relate as they have restrictions imposed on them which mean that they cannot fully participate in a life of faith as they wish. So they can appreciate this psalmists cries due to the danger of meeting together, the pain of being apart, and being unable to get close to God’s house. Have you ever had such an experience or can you even begin to imagine what it must be like?

The reality is that for us, we find it hard to completely relate even if we live in a country that restricts the celebration of faith, as we know that we can enjoy God’s presence and His people anywhere. No matter if you’re imprisoned, on the run, at work, in hiding or in bed, you can still meet with God and experience the Holy Spirit. However, for those living in Old Testament times, God had promised that He would be present in the holy of holies within the tent of meeting (later the temple). That was the only place the presence of God was known to be. At the time of David, there was a Tabernacle that was set up which contained the Ark of the Covenant signifying the presence of God. A place that caused people to praise and worship God as the Ark signified God's presence, not just in the here and now, but throughout the generations of Israelites since. No wonder this writer wanted to be there - to be inspired and reminded of God's holiness, faithfulness and awesome presence!

I think it is difficult for us to fully understand this longing - the pain of separation from God expressed in this psalm - as we never need be apart from Him. We are privileged to have access to God whenever and wherever because of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we cannot truly appreciate the depth of thirst and hunger that is experienced by this person. Grief over the fact that they cannot go before God, that they cannot be in His presence or amongst those that worship Him, that they have not got access to His word and cannot partake in the celebrations of faith as they once did. Can you even imagine what that must be like? Total separation and disconnection from God. The extent of heartache is well expressed in verses 3-5; tears being food, somehow sustaining this separation. Even the distress is feeding the remembrance of the relationship once enjoyed and so keeps it alive. People taunt at the apparent absence of God’s presence, yet their mocking does not prove the lack of God’s existence, just tugs at the heart even more allowing the writer to recall the joy of being with God. Reminding him to keep trusting in the fact that he always has, ‘Hope in God’. No matter what occurs, no matter what others do or say, no matter how near or far God seems, you can always hope in God! Even when you feel alone, separated and in danger, you can always remind yourself of the former times of joy as they are not just days of old, but the day is approaching when you again will celebrate and join in praise and worship with other God followers. Even if your soul seems 'cast down', consider why your soul is in turmoil. Then consider what the truth really is. For this psalmist the truth was that he was so upset and disturbed because he could not be in God's presence or with His people. It was less to do with the actual situation and danger he was in, it was about the reality of the grief of separation from God. Yet the writer also knew this time of separation was not forever, it would come to an end, and he could look forward in hope to again celebrating in God's presence.

Now consider the privilege you have. Of the opportunities you have to meet with God, to hear and read His Word, to meet with those who love and honour Jesus, plus you can be filled with the Holy Spirit! This writer could not, but you can! Yet sometimes in this privilege do you neglect these things? There are people of the past that have yearned and cried in despair when they have been unable to do so. There are still people in this world that do not have the freedom to meet in God’s name, for whom it would be too dangerous or difficult. Would you still read the Word and meet with believers if you had the threat of imprisonment or death? Would you still hold onto faith, hope and salvation? Many people do in the midst of persecution and restriction. They understand the value of relationship with God and the hope and salvation He gives even when they live through the toughest experiences of life. They understand that having connection with God is of far greater value than any other treasure, any other promise and even greater than freedom and life itself! If you are not in a position where it is difficult or dangerous to worship God, rejoice and keep your hope in Him consider; Are you showing the worth that God has in your life? Are you making the most of the opportunities you have to meet with Him and with others who worship Him? 

You can thank God that because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, the tearing of the veil, and the pouring out Holy Spirit, that God’s presence is now available to you wherever you are. There is no restriction to the presence of God as to where or how you commune with Him. You can know, appreciate and enjoy His presence right now. So thank God for the freedom He has given you to know Him and His people, and pray for those who have restrictions upon them, asking God to reward their faith.

This psalmist recalls the joyous times when he has been able to worship, lead praise and been amongst others glorifying God. Yet he is disappointed with himself for being disheartened, asking himself, ‘why are you cast down, O my soul’? I think from what has been described we can see why he is ‘cast down’! We can all feel the same at times. Yet this author still sees no reason to be so distressed and disturbed. He knows that God still remains. That God still sustains and cares for Him. So he makes himself remember other times when he has experienced God’s love, His presence and the joy and power of fellowship with other believers. He does not allow his present situation or condition alter the reality that God exists and is good. Some people crumble away in fear and disappointment when bad things happen or when life doesn’t go the way they want or expect it to. This writer does not. They are a great example of the steadfastness of faith and seem to have written this psalm as an encouragement to themselves, to remind them that they have reasons to not be ‘cast down’ as they always have hope and salvation. The author is keen to reinforce this to himself that he repeats this twice (v5 and 11). Even if all of life is turned upside down, you can still hold onto the fact that there is still hope in God, your salvation is secure, God is still good and you can still praise Him as He never changes. Just as this psalmist reminded himself of these things, you can do the same. So take time to remember the goodness of God in your life; the joy of His presence, the joy of worship, the value of the community of believers, the certainty of hope and salvation. Even if you cannot enjoy worshipping with other believers in person right now, let your previous experiences help fuel your faith and instil hope in you for the future.

Praying like David

 Psalm 5 (ESV): A Psalm of David. 

1  Give ear to my words, O Lord; 

consider my groaning. 

2  Give attention to the sound of my cry, 

my King and my God, 

for to you do I pray. 

3  O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; 

in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. 

4  For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; 

evil may not dwell with you. 

5  The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; 

you hate all evildoers. 

6  You destroy those who speak lies; 

the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. 

7  But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, 

will enter your house. 

I will bow down toward your holy temple 

in the fear of you. 

8  Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness 

because of my enemies; 

make your way straight before me. 

9  For there is no truth in their mouth; 

their inmost self is destruction; 

their throat is an open grave; 

they flatter with their tongue. 

10  Make them bear their guilt, O God; 

let them fall by their own counsels; 

because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, 

for they have rebelled against you. 

11  But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; 

let them ever sing for joy, 

and spread your protection over them, 

that those who love your name may exult in you. 

12  For you bless the righteous, O Lord; 

you cover him with favour as with a shield. 

We can tell from this psalm, and others that he has written, that there is a pattern to David’s daily life. He has an established routine that consists of praying and giving sacrifices to God. Even as a ruler of a nation David finds time to talk to and honour God. This is how he begins each day. This time with God allows him to get all of the annoying things off of his chest, rant about the problems, remember who God is, and seek guidance. It helps David refocus and ready himself for the day. Do you do the same - is God included in your preparations for the day? No matter how busy you are, your responsibilities or expectations, do you allow yourself the privilege of spending time with God so that your burdens, concerns and desires can be put in His hands rather than your own? 

As part of this daily exchange David has with God, he shows us that he; speaks (v2), sacrifices and waits (v3), rants (4-6), extols God (v7, 8, 12), asks God to help (v8) and reminds himself of God’s promises (v12). Part of prayer and growing a relationship with God should involve all of these things. It is being real about life and knowing and accepting who really is in charge. 

Did you know that being sacrificial should be involved in your time with God? It could be obeying Him in some way that is really difficult for you or giving things away. Being willing to give God your best may look like giving something up or taking something on that you don't want to. It will hurt and cause discomfort otherwise it is not a sacrifice! A sacrifice looks like surrendering and giving up and it is required in order to truly worship God. If you want to invest in a relationship with God you will find that it is not easy and it demands something from you. Not because you have to pay or persuade God that you'll be a good friend, but in any relationship there is a sense of surrender and sacrifice because it comes from a position of love. Maybe consider it this way; without the sacrificial element to a faith-filled life - what is it that you are putting into the relationship with God? Some talking, requests and offloading? Is that a relationship? Relationships are two-way, so ensure that you are worshipping, sacrificing and waiting when you spend time with God. Let Him reveal His ideas, plans, purposes and commands to you and carefully consider how you are going to follow and honour God each day. Ask God what He wants from you, then trust Him. Even if it is really hard and hurts (sacrifices do) it will do you good, it demonstrates that you are an invested follower of God, and reminds you that your life is not your own.  

David prepares a sacrifice for God and then watches (v3). In his time with God, David through prayer; worships, gives of himself and waits. Does your prayer routine look like that? David doesn’t do all the talking. He does some, he puts himself aside and puts God first through his words and actions (extolling God and making sacrifices) and then he prepares himself for God to respond. David whilst he is waiting for God’s reply reminds himself who God is and who He isn’t (v4-6), and then gains confidence in the fact that God is on his side as a man who follows Him. So, no matter what, David knows that he will be blessed and protected (v12). When you pray, do you remember exactly who it is you are talking to?! Do you spend time remembering what you know to be true of Him. Sometimes our requests are answered in what we already know if we take time to recall the truth. David shows this as when he wrote this psalm he clearly needed assurance of God’s love, protection, mercy and righteousness, and the more he prayed and considered who God is, the more he realised that he already what he needs, he remembered that God blesses, protects and pours out favour on His children and so he realises that he needs to keep going the way God wants him to (v8). Sometimes we need the same, a reminder, a reassurance that God is really who He is. As you pray, remember who God is and what He wills from you as well as what He expects of you. I can guarantee that what He wants from you is far less than what He will give and already has given you. 

As you pray today, try to include the same things David did. God considered David, ‘a man after his own heart’ (1 Samuel 13:14) after all, so he is clearly a good example to follow if you want to be considered the same. Can you learnt o pray like David;

Speak honestly and from the heart

Make sacrifices

Wait

Tell God what is wrong 

Remember who God is

Ask God for His help and guidance

Remind yourself of His promises

Days of Remembrance

Do you have special days of remembrance?

The Jews, in Esther, created a new day of remembrance. They decide to set aside the day, every year, to recall the wondrous deliverance that God had brought about for them. A day to celebrate, give gifts and remember the poor. A day to remember that they had been delivered from death and given a new opportunity for life.

The Jews deliberately made an effort from this time forth to celebrate their deliverance from annihilation. Mordecai and Esther even established this holiday through a written letter of encouragement to all the Jews officially dedicating this day as one of celebration known as Purim. This day is an annual recollection, it is still a celebrated feast today. The nation has upheld it’s identity and continues to mark the day of deliverance.
This isn’t the Jews only day of remembrance either, they also have Passover, Hannukah and Yom Kippur to name a few, they have other important times of celebration too. The Jews are very good at celebrating. They are good at remembering, setting aside time to recall major triumphs in faith. They purposefully put dates in their diary to recall the times they have seen God at work in their lives. Do you?

Do you set aside any time in your year when you celebrate what God has done in your life? An annual commemoration? No wonder the Jews are fervent in their faith when they make time to rejoice in the breakthroughs of times past and can relate this to their own lives. They take time out of their busy lives to celebrate, not just what God has done for them personally, but they look wider and further to see what God has always been up to. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. By looking back and commemorating what God has done before brings confidence in what God is doing now and will do in the future.

Do you celebrate? Do you have significant highlights in your life, your town, your church, your nation that you should be commemorating?
How can you set aside time to recollect God’s hand in your life and the life of the church?

As a family, we have a couple of specific days that we celebrate. We set aside time to recall the days when our children became part of our family. We always make a point of doing something different and make sure we; share memories, reflect on how things have changed, discuss the highlights, the adventures, funny things that have happened and even how we ourselves have changed. I love hearing our kids stories and their memories. They are so precious. It helps me know our children better, what they value. It is an important opportunity for us all to talk to each other and acknowledge what we have and how far we have come. It does something to build relationship, and it puts extra joy in our hearts, it raises our hopes and expectations and helps us to see the work God has been doing. As a parent, it does my heart good to all get together and celebrate, as a child don’t you think it raises their hopes? Think about how God feels when we set aside to celebrate Him. As an imperfect parent I value the memories of my children, the strengths and aspirations they share, how much more so would God value the time we choose to spend commemorating Him and all the work He has been up to? Then imagine the faith it will build in yourself.

I think the Jewish customs of celebration, of marking key events in their history is important. It causes them to remember, to realign their vision, to reassess their values and regard the greatness of God, not just in theory, but in reality. How would your faith, your life change if you too set important dates of remembrance in your calendar?

 We all have stories, we all have adventures of faith, we all have breakthroughs. How can you commemorate the successes of your life?