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Hannah: Asking for the Impossible

Day 1, Week 3 of Beautifully Surrendered, A Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 1:1-2:11 (SOAP – 1:27-28)
I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. 28 Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord there.   1 Samuel 1:27-28  NLT
My Observations:
Heart Resounding Similarities

Hannah’s story is near and dear to my heart, not just because of it’s beautiful example of prayer between a woman and her God but because I waited eight years for God to give me a child. In that eight years I experienced much of the heartache and distress that is described of Hannah. I battled bitterness of other’s pregnancies and anger with God for what He withheld. He won the battle though and in due time spoke words of encouragement and wisdom through my parents to not only trust in the Lord and His will and timing for my life but to learn to be content whether pregnant or not pregnant. The words were hurtful at first – I didn’t want to be content, I wanted to be pregnant. However, when I got home from that conversation those were the very words that drove me to my knees and moved me to “pour out my soul before the LORD” and cry out to Him from the depth of my pain and anguish. – Then the LORD called me to mind, and I became pregnant.

Hannah’s Prayer (1 Samuel 1:10-16
  • The source of Hannah’s prayer was from her soul not strong drink
  • The heart of Hannah’s prayer was her pain and anguish – driven by her desire for a child
  • Lost in the strengths of her faith, unaware that she was observed, and certainly not drunk on wine – Hannah prayed

She prayed boldly and specifically

  1. Poured out her suffering to the LORD
  2. Keep me in mind”
  3. Don’t “neglect Your servant”
  4. “Give your servant a male child”

She made a vow

  • “Then I will declare Him to the LORD all the days of His life
  • “His hair will never be cut”

As for Hannah, she was speaking in her mind. Only her lips were moving; her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was a drunkard.

1 Samuel 1:13 NET
Prayer’s Effect

Don’t miss the effect Hannah’s prayer had on her. From being very distressed – talking to God and encouragement from Eli, the priest, she went away changed, not only inwardly but outwardly.

So the woman went her way and got something to eat. Her face no longer looked sad.

1 Samuel 1:18 NET
Then …

I love when the Bible says “Then …” because it always means God is about to reveal something. In this case it was all that transpired after Hannah’s prayer and conversation with Eli.

  1. They worshiped the LORD and returned home
  2. Elkanah was intimate with Hannah
  3. “The LORD called her to mind”
  4. Hannah became pregnant
  5. She gave birth to a son
  6. When he was weened she took him up to the LORD’S house
  7. She shared with Eli God’s answer, her praise, and the response of her vow

For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him. 28 So I also dedicate him to the Lord. For all the days of his life he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then [Samuel] bowed down there in worship to the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:27-28 NET
Then …

Hannah’s prayers affected not only herself and her husband but don’t miss how even, at a very young age, they were already affecting Samuel – “THEN he,” [Samuel}, bowed down in worship to the LORD.” To see how her prayer affected many more through Samuel visit this link on the “Life of Samuel” from ‘GotQuestions.org’ – https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Samuel.html

How Then Do We Live?

If we learn anything from Hannah, let us learn that we can be real with God. She poured out her soul before Him, She didn’t try to hide her suffering, or deal with her pain and anguish on her own. She trusted God with her desire, not only in prayer but in life – giving back to God the very thing she asked for – that it [Samuel] might be used for His glory and not just her pleasure or fulfillment.

We can also learn to respond to God’s answers with praise – not kept to ourselves but revealed to others so that God’s goodness, His kindness, mercy, love, grace, power …. are displayed.

  • What’s your take away?
Prayer Response

Father, thank You for Hannah’s prayer and the way You have used it in my own life. Thank You for the glimpses of Your hand in the tapestry of Your people – woven together in Your Word for us to glean from. Help us to not become embittered with the disappointments or desires of our lives but to give them to You, boldly and specifically, from the heart and to trust You with the answers. And Father help us always to give You the praise and honor due Your name that others may hear and see and know of Your goodness to “keep us in mind” and the powerful and lasting effects of Your answers.

– All To Your Glory

Me – from the inside-out

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Ruth: Your God and My God

Thursday, Week 2 of Beautifully Surrender, A Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: Ruth 1:1-18; SOAP: 1:16

 But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

Ruth 1:1-18 NLT
My Observations:
But Ruth

There were cultural norms of the day that would have led Orpah and Ruth to stay with their mother-in-law, Naomi, even after their husbands had died and even though Naomi was leaving for her homeland. However, Naomi not only offered them an out, she encouraged them to return to their people and prayed that they would both be blessed with new husbands. While it took some convincing, Orpah finally conceded, kissed Naomi goodbye, and “returned to her people and her god”, BUT RUTH had made up her mind. She chose to devote herself not only to Naomi but to Naomi’s people and Naomi’s God.

If you read the rest of the story you will see that Ruth’s decision changed everything. You will see the fingerprints of God, a beautiful unfolding love story, a glimpse of things to come, and how Ruth became a part of God’s unfolding story.

How Then Should We LivE?

God has given us a clear-cut answer and demonstration of choosing His people and Him above comfort and familiarity. We should live as Ruth, who chose to go the way of Naomi and her God.

My Prayer Response:

Father, thank you for the example of Ruth who chose Your people and You rather than the familiar and comfortable. Help me to always choose You above anything and everyone – and may my example lead others to do the same. – In Jesus’ Name – Amen!

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Rahab: Strong and Brave

Wednesday, Week 2 of Beautifully Surrendered, A Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: Joshua 2; James 2:14-26; SOAP: Hebrews 11:31

It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

Hebrews 11:31 NLT
My Observation:

Like us, Rahab was saved by faith and escaped the destruction of the disobedient. Welcoming and hiding the spies, as we read in the Joshua account were demonstrations of her faith. Faith that she expressed in many ways but perhaps none more clearly than the acknowledgement of God being the “supreme God”, and of course the scarlet cord that she hung out her window in faith believing that she and her household would be spared.

No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.

Joshua 2:11

“I accept your terms,” she replied. And she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope hanging from the window.

Joshua 2:21

Rahab’s position in life, as a prostitute, did not overshadow her faith or make her faith worthless. Regardless of who she was or what she had been, God honored and accepted her by her faith in Him, which is evident in the fact that her name is among those listed in the Scripture’s ‘Hall of Faith’ found in Hebrews 11.

In case you’re wondering how a prostitute ends up in the ‘Hall of Faith’ with Abraham and all the others, let’s take another look at the fuller picture of her faith from what we’ve read today.

  • She knew who the men were and whose they were when she welcomed them in.
  • She welcomed them in in spite of the fact that she spoke to them of how their hearts melted in fear of them.
  • She defied the local authority and risked their retaliation because she had heard and believed in their God – who He was and what He could do and had done.
  • She placed her faith, not in what she had seen nor her fear in what could happen to her — but in the GOD of these men.
  • She did so not only at her own risk but to her family’s
How Then Should We Live:
  • We are to walk/live by faith and not by sight or knowledge of what we’ve done or said or where we’ve been.
  • We should tell god’s stories — knowing they saved the life of Rahab and her family.
  • Go where God sends us, for others may be saved by our obedience and courage.
  • Fear God more than man.
My Prayer Response:

Father – prostitutes, adulterers, drunkards, liars, thieves, and the ‘worst of the worst’ that we can imagine are all welcome at your table when, by faith, they believe in Your Son. Thank You for Your unconditional love through the blood and person of Jesus Christ – for by Him I am saved!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

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THE CANAANITE WOMAN: GREAT FAITH

Tuesday: Week 2 of Beautifully Surrendered, A Love God Greatly Study

TODAY’S READING: MATTHEW 15:21-28; SOAP: MATTHEW 15:28
My Observation:

We really need to look at the full picture to understand and appreciate what took place and what it means for us as Gentile believers.

The Woman
  • Though she was a Canaanite, the woman recognized Jesus for who He was, one who could have mercy on her, the Lord, the Son of David. (22)
  • She had a demon-possessed daughter.(22)
  • Even though Jesus did not answer her at first, even though the disciples begged Him to “send her away”, and even though Jesus finally told her “He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”(23-24) – She came and bowed down before Him, acknowledged Him again as Lord and again asked for help (25)
  • In rebuttal to Jesus’ response, one that could have been taken as offensively rude, she doesn’t rile at Him in anger but acknowledges His position as “master”. (27)
The Disciples:

Granted, among the crowds of people following Jesus, vying for His attention, pressing in for healing or some other miracle – being a disciple couldn’t have been easy. In this particular situation the woman had obviously gotten on their last nerve as they begged for Jesus to send her away. (23)

Jesus:

Jesus went from not responding to the women’s request, to a statement about why He was there, then to making the shocking statement that was less than flattering, and finally to commending her and acting on the woman’s “great faith”.

Note: Some have made the argument that Jesus was rude in not responding and others would argue that His comment about the ‘dogs’ was uncalled for – but the greater argument can and should be made that He was looking to see if the woman was a sincere believer or not since she was a Canaanite. A helpful commentary on this matter can be found at this Bible Reference link – https://www.bibleref.com/Matthew/15/Matthew-15-26.html

What we must remember when Scripture raises questions like this - is who we know Jesus to be. He God in human form, there was no sin in Him - so He would never be rude or disrespectful to anyone and His reasons for everything He says and does will always be perfect and for the Father's glory. To believe less than this is to question the very foundation of our belief in God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.    - Me, from-the-insideout
How Then Should We Live?

It’s easy to approach God and ask for needs or health or even desires … but it’s the believing and persisting that is often missing. However, we are encouraged to be devoted to prayer, to pray without ceasing, to approach the throne of God boldly and with confidence, to keep on asking – to keep on seeking – and to keep on knocking … so even though she may have seemed annoying to the disciples – we must not take this to mean we should do any less. However, what struck me more than her persistence was the fact that her focus wasn’t on her daughter at the moment but squarely on Jesus, who He was, and what He could do. For this reason, I believe, a profitable take-away or application would be to pray believing, persist in praying, and focus on the Master rather than the request. I learned a long time ago – with many reminders since – that when we focus on our request we lose sight of Jesus and, like Peter on the water, our faith begins to sink beneath the waves of our desire.

My Prayer Response:

Father, in our praying help us stay focused on You and not on our requests/needs or desires. Help us to pray believing and persistently – knowing You are able. May we not waiver in our faith for in this You are glorified and we are blessed.

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Jesus Looked After His Mother – Even From the Cross

Friday, Week 1 of Beautifully Surrendered, a Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: John 19:20-30 (SOAP 26-27)

26 So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, look, here is your son!” 27 He then said to his disciple, “Look, here is your mother!” From that very time the disciple took her into his own home.

John 19:26-67 NET
My Observations:

In the Throes of Agonizing Death

How sweet is this scene’s depiction of the Savior’s intimate care for His mother even in the throes of a horrendous death. The beauty of the reality that His love for ‘all’ did not negate His love and care for her as an individual. Also, something that stood out to me this time was the trust He had and placed in this disciple and how well-placed it was.

From that very time the disciple took her into his own home.

John 19:27
How Then Should We Live?

Let’s factor in what we know from this passage first. While God so loved the world and offered salvation to ‘whosoever” believes – what we see here is Christ loving not just a collective group of believers but we see Him tenderly revealing His very personal love for His mother. Jesus’ position as God the Son, did not interfere with His earthly position or emotions as Mary’s son – or for that matter our friend (John 15:14-15) or brother (Hebrews 2:11; Romans 8:29). Knowing these descriptions from Scripture coupled with how we see Him treat Mary – tells me, that because we belong to Jesus’ family, we can TRUST His love for us is equally personal and that He will treat us not just as another believer but as dearly beloved.

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers

Romans 8:29 ESV

We also don’t want to miss the other factor, which is that He entrusted His mother, Mary, to one of His disciples. I’ve read and heard this passage many times, yet this time the words jumped off the page at me. I found myself immediately wondering if He sees me as a trustworthy disciple, one He can confidently trust to do His work in His absence. I believe Paul’s letter to Timothy, concerning the character of a person who serves Christ, explains how to be such a disciple and what this trusted disciple might be like when he made the following statement about an approved worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed. (I’ll tell you right now, I have a lot to work on and sure am glad He equipped us with His Spirit so that we have the hope of reaching this goal.)

15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer, ... “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.” 20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. 22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. 23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. 2 Timothy 2:15-26
My Prayer Response

Father, oh the beauty of Your Son and the larger than life or anything we can understand GIFT He is. He who loved us all enough to GIVE His life for our sins, and be on earth suffering rather than in Heaven – He also showed us that His love is personal and now we live with this HOPE and JOY that He is looking out for us too, and that He will entrust others to us as He sees the need when He knows us to be faithful. Father, let me be found faithful and true – hands and feet and a light and voice for You. In Jesus’ Name and power.

My Worship Response

I recently used this one but it is the one that kept playing through my head as I wrote this devotional. https://youtu.be/r6U8O_WnPZY (this song does not belong to me but is by David Aslesen and found on the above Youtube link)

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The Widow of Nain: Jesus Cares for Women

Week 1, Day 4 of Beautifully Surrendered: A Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: Luke 7:11-17; SOAP verse 13

 When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. 

Luke 7:13 NLT
My Observations …
Setting the Scene

Jesus, His disciples, and a large crowd were entering the town of Nain when they encountered a funeral procession which included the corpse (a young man), the man’s mother, and a large crowd at the city gate.

He Saw Her

Despite the large crowd coming out of the gate and the large crowd with Jesus going in the gate Jesus, not only saw the woman, but He took notice of her. I believe there’s a difference – do you? I have realized that while I may see someone, even speak to them, at church or a store aisle or on the street – but if I’m too inward or “purpose” focused I may not be able to tell you what they were wearing or what their mood was. However, when I am purposefully attentive I don’t just see the person but I notice their demeanor and other pertinent things about them -and respond accordingly. I believe this is the example we see in Jesus concerning the Widow at Nain who had just lost her only son.

He Took Notice

Despite the things that were likely on His mind or the distraction of those He was traveling with, Jesus not only saw the mother, most likely walking near the bier that carried the corpse, but He took notice of her. The fact that He quickly assessed her situation is evident by the compassion He felt for her and even more evident by His outward expression of that compassion with what I imagine were the very tender words, “Don’t cry”.

The Rest of the Story

We could stop with those words but we would miss perhaps the best part. What happened next melts my heart and highlights the fact that He truly cared about the widow. Jesus saw her, took notice of her situation, had compassion for her, spoke words of compassion to her – and then He acted on her behalf. He reached out and touched the movable frame, or bier, used to carry the corpse and then told the young (dead) man to get up. (Stay with me – cause the best is yet to come.) The man sat up and began to speak and ….

Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Luke 7:15b

Then he came up and touched the bier, and those who carried it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” So the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 

Luke 7:14-15 NET
How Then Do We Live?

We can rejoice and be confident that Jesus sees us – and confident that He won’t just see us and walk away. We can trust that He will react appropriately to our situation. We can expect and listen for Him to ‘speak’ to us and watch for Him to act on our behalf – because, as we “belong to Him”.

Keep in mind, our confidence in these truths matter because it will affect how we live and react in the world and how we represent Christ to the world.

My Response of Prayer:

Father – Thank You for these reminders and truths that are ours in Christ Jesus. Thank You Jesus for seeing us and caring for us and acting on our behalf – whether we are male or female, Jew or gentile … We belong to You and are safe in Your observant and loving care. Father help us live beautifully surrendered to You – to live and love like Jesus. To be attentive and compassionate toward others, not just inwardly compassionate but expressively – in Jesus’ name – Amen!

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All Are In Christ

Today’s Reading: Galatians 3:24-29, SOAP: Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

Galatians 3:28
My Observations:

I love zeroing in on one Scripture verse, however, sometimes – if not often – we risk missing the beauty of the message. While today’s verse can definitely stand alone and packs a wonderful, life altering message – I believe the beauty is in knowing the truth it preaches wasn’t always the way that it was.

So let’s look back to the first four verses of the passage, where we read about what guarded the people before faith came into the picture. That guardian was the ‘law’, a captor. more-or-less, that made sure we knew our sin and offered a way to purge ourselves only to then reveal another sin and another. It was a hopeless cycle that kept the people fully aware that there was truly no way to escape. Until out Champion was born made a way for us to escape our captivity and the burden that the law placed upon us! No longer did we serve a law of rituals and requirements but rather a Savior who paid our penalty and set us free!

Understanding this freedom is vital to understanding and appreciating the truth that “we are all one in Christ Jesus”. No longer are we governed by our race, status in life, or gender but simply and purely by placing our faith in Christ alone. When we do this, Paul told the Corinthians, “we are a new creation, the old has gone , the new has come”, 2 Corinthians 5:17.

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.

Galatians 3:26-27

We are now identified as “belonging to Christ”, and this identity changes everything. Why? Because – now that we belong to Christ we are made His heirs, sharing in God’s promise to Abraham. Why? Because, as Paul explains:

The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.

Galatians 3:7-9
How Then Should We Live?
  • First and foremost we should put our faith in Christ and be saved, Rom. 10:13a
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved..."
  • We are to measure ourselves, not by who we are or were but by the faith God has given us, Rom. 12:3 
3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
  • We are not to think of ourselves as greater or better or even lesser than others – regardless of our “station” in life.
  • We are to live as one with our brothers and sisters in Christ – through the Spirit
  • We should live praising God for the Savior who fulfilled the law thereby releasing us from captivity to it.
My Prayer Response:

Father – thank You for the work You have done in us through Christ. Help us as Your children, belonging to Christ, to always measure ourselves only by our faith in Christ – not by works or possessions or status. Help us, by Your Spirit’s power to live as one body for one Lord and Your glory. In Jesus’ Name – Amen!

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Phoebe: Living Unique

From the Love God Greatly Study, “Beautifully Surrendered”

Today’s Reading: Rom 16:1-2; 1 Cor 12:12-26; SOAP: 1 Cor 12:12

12 For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body—though many—are one body, so too is Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12 NET
Phoebe:

Ok, so before we look at our SOAP passage I think we need to at least spend a minute on Phoebe, don’t you? Here’s what we know about her from Paul, who introduced her to the Church in Rome.

  • She is a sister (in Christ) – indicating she is a believer
  • She is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, which is where she lived, and according to the NIV Study Commentary, Cenchrea was the eastern port of Corinth
  • Being new to the community she may have needed help
  • She had been a great help to many people, including Paul
My Observations:

First of all, since our verse starts with: “For just as the body …”, lets look back first to the verses preceding verse 12, where Paul has been teaching on spiritual gifts and how different gifts are given by the Spirit to each member of the body. Paul was instructing them on the gifts and their purpose because the gifts had become a source of contention among the body at Corinth instead of being the effective tool they were meant to be.

Arriving at verse 12 we hear Paul teaching that as the church, which is the “Body of Christ”, we are to live and work together as one ‘body’, which is the reason for Paul’s comparison of the human body and the body of Christ. I believe that reading verses 12-26 can be both confusing and helpful at the same time – but that they clearly make the point that we are meant to work together as one, rather than competing with one another or comparing ourselves to others. We are to unite ourselves and our gifts to accomplish God’s purpose for the church, which is making Him known through the Gospel message – God’s power for salvation.

How Then Should We Live? (the application)

If we all have different gifts and different places and purposes within the body, how then do we live and function as though we are one? I believe, as with much of Christianity, it boils down to the attitude of the heart. Perhaps this is why the second commandment that Christ mentions in His answer to a ‘teacher of the law’ concerning the ‘greatest commandment’ says, love your “neighbor as yourself”, Mark 12:29-31. If our concern is for the building up of the church and those within the body of Christ we will have a servant’s heart – using our gifts to glorify God and better the body and not ourselves – much like Paul’s description of Phoebe.

What might this look like? When we have a servant’s heart, perhaps we will

  • like Phoebe, support the ministries of others,
  • or like Paul, commend others and their gifts to the church so that they can plug in and find the help they need
  • or perhaps, as Paul requested of the Church in Rome, we will be asked to welcome and help those who are new to the body

Whatever the case, I believe verse 25 of 1 Corinthians 12 makes clear the reason for us to function as one and perhaps paints the best picture of what the body will look like –

“So that there may be no division in the body, but the members may have mutual concern for one another”.

1 Corinthians 12:25
My Response of Prayer:

Father, make me a servant humble and meek, Lord let me help those who are weak – and may the cry of my heart always be – make me a servant today. A servant like Jesus who made Himself nothing and became obedient to death – for the sake and salvation of sinners and the pleasure of You – His Father. Yes Lord, Yes – make me a servant today!

My Response of Worship:
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Praise the LORD

Today’s Reading: Psalm 116 (SOAP verse 48)

The Lord God of Israel deserves praise,
in the future and forevermore.
Let all the people say, “We agree! Praise the Lord!”

Psalm 106:48
A Recounting

This is one of those readings that make it tempting to skip right to the soap/focus verse – but as always I encourage you to read the whole passage. It’s actually a beautifully written cliff notes version of God’s people during the exodus and the conquest. While it opens and ends with the Psalmist praising the LORD, much of the chapter focuses on repentance through a recounting of Israel’s failures. We can certainly learn a lot from it – such as failure to appreciate and remember God’s work and love for us leads to rebellion (7) and the importance of God’s reputation (8). We read of how they praised God and then would quickly forget what He had done (12-13). They resented their Spiritual leaders, Moses and Aaron (16) and did evil in the sight of the LORD – like making and worshiping idols and rejecting their true and living God (19-21). Even after His mercies were shown to them they still lived in rebellion (23-25). Because of these things God would eventually make them die in the wilderness (26-27), again and again they angered God by their hideous and rebellious deeds (29-40) so “He handed them over to the nations, and those who hated them ruled over them”(41). He delivered them many times but their attitudes were still rebellious (43). Yet, “He took notice of their distress when He heard their cry for help and relented because of His great loyal love” (44-45) – Because of the recounting of these things and because of all of God’s mighty acts the Psalmist acknowledged that God was worthy of praise now and forevermore and he encouraged the people to praise Him.

The Recounting Results

A “recounting” of God’s ‘mighty acts’ will always lead us to praise Him. Praise Him not only for the present but for the future and forever. The Psalmist not only realized that God deserved praise but he encouraged all the people to agree with him and praise the LORD.

How Then Do I Live?

I should be faithful to “recount” God’s mighty acts. I should be quick to realize and always be aware that God is worthy of my praise. I should also encourage ‘others to see and agree and praise the LORD’.

Why does it matter?

Because others will ‘see and agree’ only when we are faithful to recount and actively praise Him – sparking a fire in those around us and for generations to come.

Prayer Response

Father, help me. Help Your people to notice Your mighty acts. To remember them from days of old. And to recount them faithfully as edification and encouragement for ourselves and others to PRAISE You. For truly You are worthy, both now and always! Help us not only to learn to PRAISE You from the recounting but may the recounting also be a warning and reminder of where rebellion and discontent and grumbling and forgetfulness lead us. Thank You for Your loyal love and faithfulness to forgive – to relent. All Your deeds are praiseworthy – this we know and give you praise. Let all the people agree. – Amen!

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study
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Celebrating His Deliverance

Today’s Reading: Psalm 116 (SOAP 116:12-13)
Lord I Love you

The Psalmist declares his love for the LORD. Why? Because the Lord heard his plea for mercy and listened to him. Not only does he declare his love but he says, for as long as he lives, he is going to call on the Lord whenever he needs help. I get it. It’s an awful feeling to talk to people who you think – or worse yet – who you know don’t hear you or just aren’t listening. I get the sense by the Psalmist’s response, that this is how he had been feeling but notice how – when he realized he had been heard – everything changed.

Everything Changes When it becomes personal

When our relationship with God becomes personal everything changes. His testimony becomes one of praise and declaration of God’s mercy and fairness, of His compassion and protection. Now, because he knew, first hand, these things about God He knew he could rest in Him and what He had done. He tells how God rescued him from death, kept his eyes from tears, and his feet from the wrong path. So, in response, the Psalmist declares that he will serve the LORD and wants to know how he can repay Him for all His acts of kindness.

How Then Should I Live?

Like the Psalmist, when he truly realized the truth of all God had done, our hearts should be moved to seek a way to repay Him for all of His kindnesses and, as the Psalmist said, “to celebrate the deliverance” the LORD has given us and call on “the name of the LORD”. The LORD, our God, has delivered us from the power of sin and death and while we can never repay Him for what He has done – His word does give us a hint as to how we can show our love and appreciation. In John 14:15, Jesus said, “If you love me keep My commandments”, defining, in Mark 12:29-31, that the greatest commandment is loving the LORD our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second is equal to the first and it is to love our neighbors as ourselves. Remember, God isn’t after our burnt offerings and sacrifices, but as Samuel said to Saul, He simply wants our hearts. The same applies to us today.

May we be moved to give Him our heart.

“What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Obedience is far better than sacrifice. Listening to him is much better than offering the fat of rams.”

1 Samuel 15:22
Prayer and worship Response

Lord, I give You my heart! For all You have given me. For all of Your kindness. For Your deliverance from sin and death, for Your faithfulness to me through the years, Your healing hand that I have seen, Your provisions that I have needed, Your love and guidance that I would be lost without. – I will praise You and seek to walk in Your ways all of my days! – Oh yes LORD, I give You my heart! – In Jesus’ Name +

I’ll Give Him My Heart

(I do not own this song)
More Insight

Want more on this Psalm and “Celebrating His Deliverance”? Visit the link below –

Love God Greatly Blog Post