“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!..
Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
they fell down, with none to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.” Psalm 107:1,4-16
The human condition is a lost cause, an endless repetition of rebel choices and relentless messes mired in willfully chosen darkness. But for the grace of God. Fickle man cries to the Lord from the misery of distress, He answers and delivers. O give Him thanks for His steadfast love! (Psalm 107:17-22)
We set about our industry with cocky self-assurance, and attribute success and favor to God’s deserved graces or good fortune. We foolishly wander from God’s good word, we flirt with and dance around full commitment, we spurn His way for self-determined choices, and suffer harsh consequences. God breaks our iron fist on control and brings us to the end of self-sufficiency. He hears our desperation and in grace, comes with redemptive mercy to lead us freely into His garden of heavenly delights. O give Him thanks for His steadfast love! (Psalm 107:23-32)
God always knows what He is doing and what is best for His people to bring about His plans. In wisdom He turns our plans inside out, His wondrous deeds to perform. He does all things well as He accomplishes His bidding to humble and exalt, to teach wisdom and provide. O give Him thanks for His steadfast love! (Psalm 107:33-43; Isaiah 14:24; 46:10)
If we know all these things to be true, what makes us chafe at His leading? Rebel against His commands? Keep steaming forward presuming on His mercy, disregarding what we know will incur hurtful consequences? If we know His grace, would we not be humbled, grateful, and want to please Him? (Romans 6:1-2,6)
What will we implement or change to arrest unhealthy, godly cycles of impulse, attitude, and behavior? How will we breathe an inflow and outflow of fresh mercies from God and toward others?
Father, for all Your mercies, new every morning, may I praise You, and live according to Your grace and in Your steadfast love, for Your glory and pleasure. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
As the rain and snow 