Psalm 107
Psalm 107
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
because they rebelled against God’s commands
and despised the plans of the Most High.
So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
and broke away their chains.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.
Some became fools through their rebellious ways
and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
They loathed all food
and drew near the gates of death.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He sent out his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.
Some went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.
They saw the works of the Lord,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.
For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.
They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.
They reeled and staggered like drunkards;
they were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
and praise him in the council of the elders.
He turned rivers into a desert,
flowing springs into thirsty ground,
and fruitful land into a salt waste,
because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
He turned the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into flowing springs;
there he brought the hungry to live,
and they founded a city where they could settle.
They sowed fields and planted vineyards
that yielded a fruitful harvest;
he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and he did not let their herds diminish.
Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
he who pours contempt on nobles
made them wander in a trackless waste.
But he lifted the needy out of their affliction
and increased their families like flocks.
The upright see and rejoice,
but all the wicked shut their mouths.
Let the one who is wise heed these things
and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.
Let me tell you a story....
There was a young girl that didn't want to live anymore. The pressures and anxieties of life were overwhelming to her. Everywhere she looked she saw pain and heartache. She couldn't shut down her feelings, she was consumed by her emotions, by her fears. She just wanted it to be over.
But if she took her own life, what waited for her on the other side? She was raised in church but soon realized this "salvation" her pastor was talking about was different than the Santa Clause-version of God she had concocted in her head.
When she was younger, she believed she was a good person. Certainly she had done enough to get into heaven. Surely she had made God's "nice list."
But now...as a teenager, she saw all of her shortcomings. She was painfully aware of how broken she was. She wasn't so sure what would happen to her anymore.
If she took her own life, would even more pain and anguish await her?
And so she floated in a haze of hate and hurt. She longed to be free of the world but she feared what would happen thereafter.
She started praying. She started reading. She started journaling. And in all these things He started to move in her heart, He started to speak His forgiveness and share His peace.
But how could she be sure? What guarantee did she have that He would forgive her? That she had done enough to be forgiven?
She was so uncertain. So lost. But she knew this: she would never be good enough.
No matter what she did or said or felt, she would never amount to much. She could pray and ask for forgiveness over and over again, but would she ever feel free? Would she ever find peace?
One night, as she was praying and begging for peace. She heard a response in the form of a song:
I can't hide from your love anymore.
Suddenly, she understood. Suddenly she knew that she had spent the last few years hiding from His love because up until that moment she didn't really believe that it existed.
But He came to her that night in a melody to tell her that it did.
And so from that day one He continued to speak love to this girl. He continued to pour our His grace and forgiveness. He gave her peace and rest when she thought it was nowhere to be found...when she felt alone, He assured her that she wasn't.
And when the moments of pain and worry and doubt crept up yet again (because they will, and they do), He continued to pursue her. When she struggled to feel worthy or good enough, He reminded her that HE is enough. It is finished and He has overcome.
Life for this young woman still isn't easy. She has strayed away from Him more times than she would like to admit...but He still pursues her. He proves His steadfast love and faithfulness over and over again.
Sometimes she still feels alone; the emotions and fears threaten to overwhelm her once more...but He still fights for her. In moments of stillness He demonstrates His mighty power. He orchestrates moments of love and joy to remind her that she is still on the path to restoration thanks to her Lord and Savior.
He is always there to remind her that He is enough....
Brothers and sisters, let us seek Him and continue to tell His story. Let us speak of His salvation. Let us speak of His wonderful deeds for mankind.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
because they rebelled against God’s commands
and despised the plans of the Most High.
So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
and broke away their chains.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.
Some became fools through their rebellious ways
and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
They loathed all food
and drew near the gates of death.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He sent out his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.
Some went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.
They saw the works of the Lord,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.
For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.
They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.
They reeled and staggered like drunkards;
they were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
and praise him in the council of the elders.
He turned rivers into a desert,
flowing springs into thirsty ground,
and fruitful land into a salt waste,
because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
He turned the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into flowing springs;
there he brought the hungry to live,
and they founded a city where they could settle.
They sowed fields and planted vineyards
that yielded a fruitful harvest;
he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and he did not let their herds diminish.
Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
he who pours contempt on nobles
made them wander in a trackless waste.
But he lifted the needy out of their affliction
and increased their families like flocks.
The upright see and rejoice,
but all the wicked shut their mouths.
Let the one who is wise heed these things
and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.
Let me tell you a story....
There was a young girl that didn't want to live anymore. The pressures and anxieties of life were overwhelming to her. Everywhere she looked she saw pain and heartache. She couldn't shut down her feelings, she was consumed by her emotions, by her fears. She just wanted it to be over.
But if she took her own life, what waited for her on the other side? She was raised in church but soon realized this "salvation" her pastor was talking about was different than the Santa Clause-version of God she had concocted in her head.
When she was younger, she believed she was a good person. Certainly she had done enough to get into heaven. Surely she had made God's "nice list."
But now...as a teenager, she saw all of her shortcomings. She was painfully aware of how broken she was. She wasn't so sure what would happen to her anymore.
If she took her own life, would even more pain and anguish await her?
And so she floated in a haze of hate and hurt. She longed to be free of the world but she feared what would happen thereafter.
She started praying. She started reading. She started journaling. And in all these things He started to move in her heart, He started to speak His forgiveness and share His peace.
But how could she be sure? What guarantee did she have that He would forgive her? That she had done enough to be forgiven?
She was so uncertain. So lost. But she knew this: she would never be good enough.
No matter what she did or said or felt, she would never amount to much. She could pray and ask for forgiveness over and over again, but would she ever feel free? Would she ever find peace?
One night, as she was praying and begging for peace. She heard a response in the form of a song:
I can't hide from your love anymore.
Suddenly, she understood. Suddenly she knew that she had spent the last few years hiding from His love because up until that moment she didn't really believe that it existed.
But He came to her that night in a melody to tell her that it did.
And so from that day one He continued to speak love to this girl. He continued to pour our His grace and forgiveness. He gave her peace and rest when she thought it was nowhere to be found...when she felt alone, He assured her that she wasn't.
And when the moments of pain and worry and doubt crept up yet again (because they will, and they do), He continued to pursue her. When she struggled to feel worthy or good enough, He reminded her that HE is enough. It is finished and He has overcome.
Life for this young woman still isn't easy. She has strayed away from Him more times than she would like to admit...but He still pursues her. He proves His steadfast love and faithfulness over and over again.
Sometimes she still feels alone; the emotions and fears threaten to overwhelm her once more...but He still fights for her. In moments of stillness He demonstrates His mighty power. He orchestrates moments of love and joy to remind her that she is still on the path to restoration thanks to her Lord and Savior.
He is always there to remind her that He is enough....
Brothers and sisters, let us seek Him and continue to tell His story. Let us speak of His salvation. Let us speak of His wonderful deeds for mankind.
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