Monthly Archives: April 2018

A Heart for God – Psalm 138

This blog entry is from Bible Bytes a new page on words2encourage.

Psalm 138 is a very short psalm of only 8 verses, yet packed with wisdom. This psalm pours out from David’s relationship with God, and reveals characteristics of a heart for God. Some of these are noted here.

Wholehearted thanks to God (v.1) – “I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise…”.

Humility before God (v.2) – “…I will bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your loving=kindness and Your truth…”.

David acknowledges and values God as God. This acknowledgement of God as God is scattered throughout this psalm, (v.5b – “…great is the glory of the Lord…: v. 6 –“…for though the Lord is high He regards the lowly…”).

Acknowledging “God as God” is important to God. We learn this in Romans 1:20-21, God states that the downfall of men is to worship themselves therefore not acknowledging God as God and giving Him the thanks due Him.

Trust the goodness of God (v. 7) –– “… though I walk in the midst of trouble You preserve my life…” and v. 8 “… the Lord will fulfill His purpose for me…”.

David trusts that God intends good toward Him. David looks back on how God has answered his prayers before and how God delivered him in the past. He has learned to trust the truth of God’s steadfast love. David views himself as a work of God and God will not forsake that work (v.8).

As I read this I reflect on my relationship with God. I ask myself: Do I daily acknowledge God as God? If so, what difference does that make in how I live? Do I give God the thanks and praise due Him? Or am I just relieved when a prayer is answered? Do I have truths about God from His word and from His past interactions with me that I cling to in times of difficulty?

I encourage you to read Psalm 138 and let the truths therein
bless your relationship with God.

God’s Facebook Page

If God had a Facebook page imagine His Time Line and His photos!
I read an article in Reader’s Digest recently that talked about how people are obsessed with documenting their life through technology and on social media.

Entries on Facebook alone are an indication of this obsession. We see pictures, even videos, of major life events, as well as minutia in our life even down to pictures of food we are eating.

Remembering and Relationship
Recording memories about our life and the people in our life is a good thing. Remembering has the ability to enhance our knowledge and appreciation of one another.  Looking back on a picture, or reading a journal entry can evoke a memory of a loving action, an encouraging word or a joy shared.

I remember many fun shopping trips with my mother. We would stop for a hot dog, or eat a sundae at the Woolworth’s lunch counter. At the time, it was just a lot of fun, but as I remember these times I see my mother’s generosity, her desire to be close to her children and to encourage them. So in that remembrance I come to know more about her character and heart.

Remembering people and events is a dimension of our relationship with them. Remembering can revive our feelings for people, but also can deepen our knowledge and understanding of them.

Think on some of your favorite memories. As you bring that person and event to mind ask yourself what do I now know about this person that I did not see before?

God Calls Us to Remember
God cherishes the act of remembering because He knows it will deepen our relationship with Him. There are places in scripture where God specifically commands His people to remember Him, His deeds, and His covenant.

Deuteronomy 7:18-But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand  and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.

Exodus 13:3- Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, the day you left Egypt. You were slaves in that land. The Lord with his great power brought you out of it.

1 Chronicles 16:12, 15 – “Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth. . . Remember His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations.”

Luke 22:19b -20 – “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

Prepared for Memories
God prepared memorials for Israel to remember Him in order to remain close to Him. Among these God established memorials are: the Ark of the Covenant with the manna, the rod and the stone tables of the law; the Passover meal, and the 12 stones from the Jordan River. Each memorial brings to mind God’s love, power and faithfulness. Each one documents God’s relationship with His people. I believe these are some of the posts we would see on God’s Facebook page.

In the New Testament era we have the testimonies of the miracles and events of the life of Jesus as documented in the Gospels, as well as the remembrance of the Lord’s Supper. The bread and wine are visual reminders of His death, burial and resurrection, documenting God’s love for us.

Remember and Act
Remembering is not just recall. Zakar is the Hebrew transliteration of the word “remember.” It does not merely mean to recall a fact, detail or an event to mind. It calls upon us to use mind, hands, feet, mouth etc., to engage in whatever action a memory requires.

The true concept of “remembering” involves the action that comes from the remembrance. For example, zakar is used in Genesis 30:22 in reference to God and Rachel: “God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.” The specific action of God in remembering was to listen to Rachel’s prayer and open her womb.

In Psalm 77, the psalmist remembers the wondrous deeds of God and this remembrance encourages his faith. He writes of feeling forgotten and unloved by God (verses 7-8). Things are not going well and he is wondering if God is angry with him (verse9). I can relate to those feelings.

The psalmist reaches out for help by remembering about God. “Then I thought…I will remember the deeds, miracles and works” of the Lord (v.11). This remembering strengthens the psalmist’s faith and leads to the action of praising God.
“Your ways are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.” Psalm 77:13-14

I have tried “remembering the wondrous deeds of God” when I am feeling discouraged and despaired. I have learned that I cannot remember the great deeds of God from His Word, or that He has done in my life, without it restoring my faith.

God and You
Think through some of the wondrous deeds of God that you read about in the scriptures, what do they inspire in you?

If you were on God’s Facebook page, what are some of the photos or videos of God and you that He would have posted? Think about the wondrous things God has done in your life. What actions of faith do His deeds move you to?