Tag: Psalm 107

Links for today’s readings:

Dec 3  Read: 2 Chronicles 2  Listen: (3:41) Read: Psalms 107 Listen: (4:12)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 107.4-16

Reflection: Dependent Hope — Hope of Advent

By John Tillman

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves.” Jefferson referred to humans suffering from earthly despotism and tyranny, but the principle applies elsewhere.

The psalmist writes of being lost in wastelands from wandering, chained by tyrannies resulting from rebellion, and hopeless in darkness due to rejecting the light. All tyrants promise freedom. All evils call themselves good. All sin calls itself righteous. Believing these claims, we often go step by step down slippery slopes into the sufferings of many kinds.

The sufferings grow slowly, like gradually rising muck in a sinkhole or cave. At our ankles, we say, “It isn’t so bad.” At our knees, we say, “I can always go back.” At our waist, we say, “Well, I’ve come this far.” By the time we say, “This is intolerable,” it’s at our armpits. By the time we say, “I must get out,” it threatens our chin.

How do we hope to get out? The psalmist says we don’t. God comes to get us. That’s what Advent celebrates. God comes to lost wanderers and leads them out of the wilderness. God comes to those in darkness to bring light. God comes to those imprisoned to break bars and shackles. 

Jefferson disbelieved miracles. He called Jesus’ teachings a “sublime and benevolent code of morals” yet cut everything miraculous from his New Testament with a razor blade, including Jesus’ miraculous Advent.

Extraordinarily committed and fortunate individuals, like Jefferson and other Declaration signers, might shake off a human tyrant to enjoy a limited measure of freedom for a limited time. But from the tyrants that really matter, sin and death, we cannot break free. We cannot “right ourselves.” Our hope is not in glorious revolution or declaring our independence. Hope is dependent on God’s arrival. The advent of his kingdom is our only hope.

If Jesus’ kingdom was of this world, we would take up arms to fight. Instead we take up towels to wash feet in service, take up crosses to deny ourselves in humility, and take up his gospel to declare our dependence upon it.

Commit your life, fortune, and sacred honor to Christ’s description of his kingdom’s advent. May the spirit of the Lord be upon us bringing good news to the poor, loosing the captives, making the blind see, and lifting the oppressed to stand in freedom.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Let us make a vow to the Lord our God and keep it; let all around him bring gifts to him who is worthy to be feared. — Psalm 76.11

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Scandalous Surprise of Hope — The Hope of Advent

Who are we to have such hope as advent promises? That Christ would come to us is baffling, surprising, and to some, scandalous.

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Scripture Focus: Psalm 107.19-22, 43
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, 
and he saved them from their distress. 
20 He sent out his word and healed them; 
he rescued them from the grave. 
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love 
and his wonderful deeds for mankind. 
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings 
and tell of his works with songs of joy

43 Let the one who is wise heed these things 
and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord. 

Reflection: Stories of the Redeemed
By John Tillman

Psalm 107 commands those redeemed by the Lord to tell their stories. Then the writer tells about several groups of the redeemed. One might expect stories of glorious kings, great moral leaders, righteous prophets, and powerful warriors. If that’s what we expect the stories of the redeemed to be, this psalm would be highly disappointing. 

The psalmist chooses to highlight the losers, the castoffs, the unwanted, and the condemned:
There is a story of migrants wandering in a desert, looking for a country to settle in…
There is a story of prisoners sitting in darkness because of their rebellion against God…
There is a story of foolish rebels who suffer illness and affliction because of their sins…
There is a story of wealthy and powerful merchants confronted with their own mortality and powerlessness…

What is the point? Why should we care for stories of the vagrants, the vagabonds, and the vanquished? We are listening for the turnaround point. Each of these stories has one and these stories are our stories too.

We are redeemed by a God who turns situations around. God turns rivers into deserts and deserts into flowing streams. He makes possible cities and gardens where before there were only wastes and wilds. He lovingly pursues those who run from him. No matter how far we run, whenever we turn around to return, God will be standing right there to receive us.

When we run to wealth, when we run to empty philosophies, when we run to addictions and distractions, even when we run without a destination, God patiently waits for our turnaround point.

In each of the psalmist’s stories, the people reached a crisis before reaching out to God. We don’t have to wait for a crisis to find a turnaround point but we often do. All followers of Christ have a story of redemption with a turnaround point. 

Which of these stories is closest to your own? 
How did you reach the point where you “cried out to the Lord” in your trouble”?
How was your life different after your “turnaround point”?

Prayerfully recall your story of redemption. Thank God in prayer for his patience and persistence in pursuing you. Prepare yourself and ask God to give you the chance to share your redemption story.

What is your story of redemption? Tell it to someone who needs a turnaround.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your Name give glory; because of your love and because of your faithfulness. — Psalm 115.1


– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Deuteronomy 20 (Listen – 2:55)
Psalm 107 (Listen – 4:12)

Read more about Waking Up With Pigs
God deals with hard-hearted people throughout the Bible. God is consistently calling, pleading with the hard-hearted to return to him.

Read more about Unobligated God
Thank God that he pays debts that he does not owe. He is a God who gives when he has no obligation.