March 17 – When Nature Trembles

“The waters saw You, God; The waters saw You, they were in anguish; The ocean depths also trembled.  The clouds poured out water; The skies sounded out; Your arrows flashed here and there.” – Psalm 77:16-17 (ESV)

There is a historical context for this Psalm of Asaph. Verses 19 and 20 indicate that it is regarding the crossing of the Red Sea during the Exodus. It is when we recall the time when the power of God intervened in our lives with a result that could only be the power and mercy of God.  It is interesting that the psalmist attributes emotion to the waters and the depth of the Red Sea saying they were in anguish and trembling. It is vivid poetry applying imagination to what happened.  Apart from the poetry of the description, the mention of rain and thunder and the quaking of the earth might surprise us.  But it comes from the narrative in Exodus 14:24-25 where such sever weather effects were a part of the event in the way the pursuing Egyptians were mired in the sea bed and perished.  Our God is a powerful God and able to do everything He choses to do without hinderance from the laws of nature.  God is not bound by the natural laws as we are. Afterall the laws of physics and nature were created by God for our purpose.     

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April 5 – Rejoice? Yes, Rejoice!

“I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.”  -Psalm 31:7  (NIV)

Going to the Psalms, the songbook we have in the Bible, is a good response to any affliction we may encounter.  For us and all who truly believe in God our Father as our Lord and Savior, we know that difficult times come our way.  God allows events and circumstances which challenge our faith to be in our path and we have to trust in His wisdom and guidance.  God sees us when this is happening.  He knows what affliction we have and He is weaving it together for good into His perfect plan for our lives.  We can know this just as the psalmist, David knew it.  David knew to take refuge in God whenever he needed deliverance.  Maybe that is what we are needing today?  We need and ask for deliverance from the trial and the uncertainty that have flooded our lives?  We can rejoice and even be glad before we ask because we know God has already seen our affliction.  He will respond and He promises to strengthen us and be gracious to us.  Let us rejoice today.

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October 5 – Being Heard

“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. – The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!”” Psalm 116:1, 3-4a (NIV)

Can we understand why the psalmist would express his love for the Lord in this way? Yes, we can. He said he had been overcome by trouble and sorrow. He confesses that when he turned to God for help, God heard his prayer. So we, too, can believe the same for ourselves today. Whenever we turn to God in our times of trouble and sorrow, God hears our cry for help. Perhaps our troubles have not been as severe as the psalmist describes here but it is good for us to remember this promise that if we ever need mercy from God, sometimes called lovingkindness, He is there to hear our cry. Be thankful today for this promise and be ready always to call on the name of the Lord. He will save you.

August 10 – Anguish Into Joy

“I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.” Psalm 31:7 (NIV)

These words, written by the psalmist David, describe a great change in his experience. We notice that he had suffered anguish in his soul and he described it as an affliction. It sounds as if he had been suffering for several reasons and for some time. But, when David wrote these words his circumstances had changed and he was in a different situation. His soul had been delivered, as it were, from the anguish and was rejoicing. So, what had made the difference? It was the realization that God had been loving him and had been watching him. Just that knowledge transformed his anguish into joy. Let's be glad and rejoice in God's love, even when afflicted.

July 30 – Love Steadfast - Full of Mercy

“I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.” Psalm 31:7 (NIV)

The promise in our verse today is one that encourages us because we are encouraged when we read in the Bible of the way God has helped His people even  in days long ago. David had been going through some difficult experiences but he knew that he had not been alone He was aware that God had seen him in his problems and that God knew how deeply it had affect David in his soul and His response was to show His mercy. What God did for David He will do for us. If we encounter trouble of any kind God sees it. And if we are deeply bothered by it God knows how we are feeling too. David said that he rejoiced in God's love and we can do that too. God's love as expressed here is sometimes called steadfast love and other times lovingkindness. It is the kind of love that is motivated by God's mercy.

June 26

“I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.”  Psalm 31:7 (NIV)

Does God really know what is going on in our lives? David was aware that when he was going through a difficult situation God was watching. God could see what was happening. His eyes were on David and so He knew where the situation was developing.  But God not only saw what was visible, He could look into the depths of David’s soul. He knew his thoughts, his emotions and his feelings. He knew his inner self. The same is true for us, too. God sees what is happening in our lives and He knows how we feel about things. He knows when we need help and He is there to help when we turn to Him. He helps us become. He loves us.