Wednesday: Has His Promise Failed Forevermore?
Daily Lesson for Wednesday 31st of January 2024
Read Psalms 77:1-20. What experience is the author going through?
Psalms 77:1-20 begins with a plea to God for help that is filled with lament and painful remembering of the past (Psalms 77:1-6). The psalmist’s whole being is mournfully turned to God. He refuses to be comforted by any relief except the one coming from God.
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However, remembering God appears to intensify his anguish. “When I remember God, I moan” (Psalms 77:3, ESV). Hebrew hamah, “moan,” often depicts the roar of raging waters (Psalms 46:3). Similarly, the psalmist’s whole being is in a state of intense unrest.
How can remembering God produce such strong feelings of distress? A series of troubling questions betray the cause of his anguish (Psalms 77:7-9): Has God changed? Can God possibly betray His covenant?
The stark contrast between God’s saving acts in the past and God’s apparent absence in the present causes the psalmist to feel abandoned by God. If God has changed, then the psalmist has no hope, a conclusion that he struggles to reject.
Meanwhile, the psalmist cannot sleep because the Lord keeps him awake (Psalms 77:4). This recalls other biblical characters whose insomnia was providentially used by God to advance His purposes (Genesis 41:1-8, Esther 6:1, Daniel 2:1-3). The long sleepless night causes the psalmist to consider the Lord’s past acts of deliverance but with new resolve (Psalms 77:5,10).
The assurance that the psalmist receives from God does not consist of explanations about his personal situation but rather a confirmation of God’s faithfulness and trustworthiness (like Job). The psalmist is encouraged to wait on the Lord in faith, knowing that He is the same God who performed miracles in Israel’s past (Psalms 77:11-18). The psalmist also realizes that “Your footsteps were not known” (Psalms 77:19, NKJV), recognizing God’s guidance, even in situations in which His presence is not obvious to human eyes. The psalmist acknowledges that God is simultaneously revealed and hidden, and so, he offers praise to the Lord’s mysterious and sovereign ways.
Think about past times when the Lord worked in your life. How can that truth help you deal with whatever you are facing now?
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As we approached “O levell ” exams we became aware that some would be on Sabbath. In the past no exemptions had been allowed.. Our parents told we knew what was right and we should decide whether we would obey God. We decided that we would not break the Sabbath and prayed for solution .. the situation was presented to our new pastor. He requested that we find any other students in the same situation. Three others were found . Pastor approached senior persons in the department of Education . It was finally agreed that the five who were from 4 different schools would go to one location and be supervised all day Sabbath and write their exams on Saturday night. We all did very well and became successful in various professions. God has never failed us.
Wow! Did the school supervisors also attend fellowship with the students that Sabbath day? What a way to be a witness, God has His ways!
When you study for a PhD one of the aims, at least for the sort of PhD I did, was to solve problems. You look at an issue in your field of study, search for other attempts to solve the problem, and then come up with your solution to the problem. It is essentially the discipline of searching for answers.
The problem of pain and suffering is an irritating reminder that we are not as smart as we think we are. Of all the thousands of words that have been written about pain and suffering, the satisfying solutions are not there.
The Book of Job does not explain, even though it explores some of our rather simplistic answers. God ends up asking Job and his friends a series of questions showing how limited their understanding is. And ultimately Job is left with only his trust in God.
Paul had a similar experience. Listen to this:
That lesson of trust is a hard one, particularly when one has spent a lifetime solving problems and providing answers. It may be worthwhile thinking about how often we try to provide answers in our spiritual lives when we should be exercising trust.
External chaos is all around us, but leaning on God’s promises we can enjoy internal peace.
God calls us to “Be still and know that He is God.” He reminds us that when we feel burdened to “ Cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us.”
When tears of liquid frustrations roll down your face, boldly rely on His promise that “He will give you rest.”
Tonight I made a hot vegetable garlic soup. The garlic, oh yes a whole head, chases away any winter congestion. One delicious way to enjoy soup is to butter toast or bread and dip it in the seasoned broth. Let the bread soak up the goodness.
Christian lives are sustained by the Word of God. It's how we see Jesus and His full plan, it's what we talk with Him about, it's what we chew on all day long and savor. The Word of God, soaked in prayer, chases away sickening thoughts and hopeless emotions and makes us strong.
How can I soak my Bible-reading in prayer? By reading it with God and to God. Letting God listen to His Word coming out of my mouth (that's why for me it's extra nice to read the Bible out loud with a human friend too) and filtered through my mind and memories. We know He has sent His Holy Spirit to be with us, helping us to understand and helping us to apply whatever we read to our own situation. Helping us to believe in His goodness.
We see in Psalm 77 a change of emotion for the psalmist, between feeling discouraged and low (Ps. 77:1-10a) and then experiencing confidence in God (Ps. 77:13-20). What changed inside the psalmist?
He started to remember and savor and talk about all the ways God had shown His grace and help and strength and miracles in the past. He took time for a God-centered history lesson, both internalizing it and sharing it. He who teaches learns twice. He was in a fight for his faith. Much like when we feel a flu-bug coming on and we run for the garlic or vit C, he ran to God's Word. He made an intentional plan ("surely, I will remember") to boost his faith.
He didn't have Hebrews 11, "the Faith Chapter", but he had stories. He didn't have the written gospels to gaze at Jesus or the scenes at the Cross, but we do. We have an even more complete picture. We can read so many Bible passages throughout the day and let what we read or memorize travel from our thinking heads to our feeling hearts. To a place where we can also say, "Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?" (Ps. 77:13). To a place where we are full of joy, even if there's sorrow, because we are soaking in God's Words (John 15:11).
The Psalmist says when I remember God, I moan.
How can remembering God produce such strong feelings of distress?
The refusal to mourn is a refusal to say goodbye to beloved person, places, missed opportunities, vitality, or whatever has been "taken away" which is how many religious people view these losses.
The refusal to mourn our earlier dissapointment condemns us and rigidifies us, as it did Lot's wife.
Genuine grief is the deep sadness and weeping that expressed the acceptance of our inability to do anything about our losses or whatever the situation. It is a prelude to letting go, to relinquishment. It is dying that precedes resurrection. Our sadness reveal what we have been invested in, it is the cost of commitment which has been shattered.
Proverbs 21:1 says the heart of the king is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
If God can change the heart of the King: He can change our heart from distress to peace of mind. He can change our heart from grief to peace of mind. He can change our heart from dispair to peace of mind.
God bless you all.
Amen
I am only thankful to the Lord for how much He has done in my life. This is not something to be proud of but to be grateful for. Yes, looking back, I can have the confirmation of Him being with me when I could not see Him. This motivates me to move on whenever I only see obstacles.
As I read Psalm 77, I realize that the hurting psalmist has so many questions. He is asking, "Will the Lord cast off forever? Will He be favorable no more?
Is His mercy clean gone forever? Doth His promise fail forever more? Has He forgotten to be gracious? Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies?" (vv.7-9 KJV). These are big questions...
As he's asking through his pain and as I read through them, I realized that many times when we ask these questions concerning God, we already have the answers within us.
Upon reflection, he realizes his own weakness, but he resolves, "I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old" (vv 10-11 KJV).
When we recall the things that our wonder working God has already done, it should help us to come out of that place of despondency. Not only will he remember he says, "I will meditate also of all Thy work and talk of Thy doings". It's not enough just thinking about the things that God has done, but also to testify. Talk about them, share them with others even encourage ourselves, talk back to Him about the things that He has done. It's an indication of our gratitude and appreciation, and trust that He can do it again! So, Who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders, Thou hast declared Thy strength among Thy people, Thou hast with Thy right arm redeemed Thy people...and that is the God we serve...Amen...Praise His Name🙌🏾
Yes, indeed - their faithful God performed great miracles and wonders as He led the children of Israel by His hand out of Egypt, setting them on the way to take possession of the Promised Land. Much time had to pass before He saw them ready to enter, conquer and establish themselves in this 'Promised Land'.
Like the psalmist, when lost in our present troubles, it helps to remember the times when God was close enough for us to observe His wonderful help. Should one be impatient and unsettled in faith, if possible, would one abandon faith and go back to Egypt? May this never be the choice of anyone who once believed!
From the earliest of my memories, it appears that a trusting relationship was present in my life. I was not an obedient child, I was restless and attempted to find other ways, better ways to satisfy my need for belonging; all along talking with my heavenly Father about all that I experienced.
Step by step He drew me closer until it was time to introduced His Son to me. He understands the weakness of man, their need for ‘signs and wonders’ to help them believe. He introduced His Son Jesus Christ to me when I came to live in this foreign country. It took time to overcome my resistance to include Jesus in our relationship, but He succeeded in explaining to me that it is only through His Son that I can be close to my Father.
I accepted the Son in the Father, and am now accepted by the Father in His Son. No need any longer for signs or wonders – faith has matured and is sufficient to direct me to trust Him explicitly.
Wonderful insights..I love hymns and one of my favorites is "Savior more than life to me" listen to it and you'll get to know how close you can be to Our Father..Good night everyone