Consider His Goodness and Love
God is good, isn’t He? Sometimes, I’ll admit, that’s hard to say. But it doesn’t negate the truth. He is good. My morning’s reading took me to Psalm 107. Hey, if you want to read about God’s goodness and love, read this psalm. Powerful stuff, and so beautifully written.
It starts out with a very recognizable verse: Give thanks to the LORD for He is good, His love endures forever. Then goes into four scenarios where people found themselves in dire straits, in distress, facing hard times, and time and time again, whether they deserved it or not, God proved His goodness and unfailing love.
First there’s the wanderers, aimlessly meandering along hungry and thirsty and dying. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress (verse 8).
Then there’s the prisoners “sitting in darkness and deepest gloom.” Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress (verse 13).
The fools follow this. Rebels and sinners who were inviting death due to their free-wheeling lifestyle. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress (verse 19).
Finally, there’s those trapped at sea, battling the weather and each other, staring death in the face. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress (verse 28).
(What a picture of God’s patience, mercy, and yes unfailing love.)
But my favorite part of the psalm is the final verse. After the writer spends much poetic time describing these four scenarios, he ends the whole thing with Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD.
You know, as I watched the recent presidential debates, both candidates were fond of saying, “Let the record speak for itself.” Well, here it is, the record of God’s goodness and love in spite of man’s frailty and sinfulness. Let it speak for itself. The next time I’m feeling sorry for myself or depressed or fearing this cancer I’m going to turn to this psalm, heed these things, and consider the great love of my Lord.
