Psalm 77 (NIV)
He has promised to provide, so why hasn't Mr. Right showed up? He is a healer, so why am I still ill? He says he knows our needs before we ask, so why didn't I get that job that I so desperately need? He promised to make the barren woman conceive so why are we unable to? He said that people will know His disciples by us loving one another but I have been mistreated by friends, family and church. He says that we rest in the shadow of his wings, so why did she have to die so young?
Sometimes what life brings and what we read in Scripture and all the Scriptures that people can so glibly quote at us can seem very different. Though we may not vocalise it like Asaph, I am sure we can all identify with him when he says:
"Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favour again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?" (v5-7) Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in his anger withheld his compassion? (v9)
I feel burdened even as I write this because I know that these are real issues that close friends and family have and continue to struggle with. I do not write this lightly like it is some miracle cure.
Asaph, like many of us, doesn't get an answer to his questions. Here on earth we may never know the answers to the difficult questions. As hard as it may be, all we can do is look behind us and allow ourselves to see God walking beside us through difficult times we have had in the past and to see Him walking beside those in Scripture through their tragedies.
Asaph chooses to "remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.... I will meditate on your mighty deeds." (v11)
He then goes on to describe how awesome God is. It is He that makes the earth shake, the thunder and lightning. (v17-18)It is He that lead the Israelites through the sea on dry land (v19). It is He that lead His people like a flock (v20).
"Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favour again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?" (v5-7) Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in his anger withheld his compassion? (v9)
I feel burdened even as I write this because I know that these are real issues that close friends and family have and continue to struggle with. I do not write this lightly like it is some miracle cure.
Asaph, like many of us, doesn't get an answer to his questions. Here on earth we may never know the answers to the difficult questions. As hard as it may be, all we can do is look behind us and allow ourselves to see God walking beside us through difficult times we have had in the past and to see Him walking beside those in Scripture through their tragedies.
Asaph chooses to "remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.... I will meditate on your mighty deeds." (v11)
He then goes on to describe how awesome God is. It is He that makes the earth shake, the thunder and lightning. (v17-18)It is He that lead the Israelites through the sea on dry land (v19). It is He that lead His people like a flock (v20).
Asaph remembers that if God is mighty enough to make the earth shake and the thunder roar and the lightning strike, then He is mighty enough to do as He chooses. And in the past He chose to lead His people like a flock. He will continue to do the same.
Friends, we may never get the answers to the difficult questions of life. But God would have us not look for answers, but rather would have us look to Him. What else can we do? What else is better for us to do? We aren't going to figure it out ourselves. Getting angry isn't going to give us answers. Getting impatient and trying to solve things in our own way will only make things worse. Harbouring bitterness will only eat away at us. Turning away from Him is only going to have us walking into darkness.
The only thing we can do, and the best thing we can do is to make the choice that Asaph made - to remember all that God has done for you in the past, and to meditate on all his mighty deeds.
Friends, we may never get the answers to the difficult questions of life. But God would have us not look for answers, but rather would have us look to Him. What else can we do? What else is better for us to do? We aren't going to figure it out ourselves. Getting angry isn't going to give us answers. Getting impatient and trying to solve things in our own way will only make things worse. Harbouring bitterness will only eat away at us. Turning away from Him is only going to have us walking into darkness.
The only thing we can do, and the best thing we can do is to make the choice that Asaph made - to remember all that God has done for you in the past, and to meditate on all his mighty deeds.
Choose. Remember. Meditate.
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