Tag: steadfast love

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Psalms Devotionals

God’s love and faithfulness

Psalms

I’ve been preparing a message on the latter part of Jacob’s life this past week. Jacob went through a tough time. He lost his wife. He lost his father. And he lost his beloved son Joseph for 20 years.

Perhaps, he could have said at that time very cynically,

Our God is in heaven
and does whatever he pleases. (Psalm 115:3)

But at the end of his life, he realized, “God is not capricious. Everything he does has a purpose. And he is good.”

This song was written long after he died, but I could imagine singing to himself,

Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and shield. (9)

For a long time, Jacob probably thought he had been forgotten. But at the end of his life he could sing,

The Lord remembers us and will bless us.

He will bless the house of Israel…
he will bless those who fear the Lord—
small and great alike. (12-13)

So if you’re going through a tough time, if you’re feeling abandoned, remember Jacob’s story. And with hearts filled with faith, let us sing,

Not to us, Lord, not to us,
but to your name give glory
because of your faithful love, because of your truth. (1)

Categories
Psalms Devotionals

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so

Psalms

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

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so…” (Psalm 107:1-2, ESV)

Those last words really made me stop a moment.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.

Say what?

The Lord is good. His steadfast love endures forever.

It’s easy to say that when things are going well.

But how about when things aren’t going so well?

There are times when we sure don’t feel like the Lord is good. There are times when it seems his love has failed.

But our feelings don’t change the truth of those words.

And it is especially during those times when we don’t feel the truth of those words that we need to consciously remind ourselves: “The Lord is good. His steadfast love endures forever.”

We have such short memories. We so quickly forget all the good the Lord has done for us. That was the Israelites’ problem. (Psalm 106)

Let us not follow their example.

Are you struggling right now?

Stop a moment, and think about the good things God has done in your life. Remember his goodness to you in the past. As you do, thank him for his goodness to you.

And choose to speak out these words of faith:

The Lord is good. His steadfast love endures forever.

Categories
Psalms Devotionals

You are my God

Psalms

This morning, I was reflecting on David’s words, “You are my God.”

What did he mean by that?

Ultimately, I think it comes down to this. He was saying, “I have seen your steadfast love in my life.”

Despite all his troubles, despite being on the run in the wilderness as he wrote this psalm, he could say, “I have seen your steadfast love in my life.”

It’s one thing to say, “I believe in God.”

Or to say, “God’s power and glory are breathtaking.”

It’s another thing to be able to look back on your life, and say, “I have actually seen God’s steadfast love in my life.”

To really be able to look at points in your life and be able to say, “God showed his steadfast love to me in this way, in this way, and in that way.”

It is through those experiences that we say with confidence, “God is my God! And I am his.”

And it’s because of that confidence, we “follow hard” after God. (Psalm 63:8)

We thirst for more of him in our lives. (1)

We lift up our hands in praise to him. (3-4)

And our hearts turn to him even as we go to sleep at night. (6)

So let us take some time and meditate on those words, “You are my God.”

In what ways has God shown steadfast love to you? What times in your life can you point to?