Do you ever wonder if God takes a day off? If there is ever a time when He decides that He’s seen enough and heard enough? If one day He’s going to ignore it all and decide just not to show up? After all, His people (the Israelites, the Church, me, you) seem to get themselves in an awful lot of trouble that could be avoided if they’d just listen to Him!
Psalm 107 is a wonderful reminder that God never stops showing up for His people. Here we see people that had wandered, rebelled, and ended up in trouble. But when they cried out to God, He showed up. Every time! Whatever they got themselves into, God showed up and rescued them. Who were these people and what were they doing?
Some had wandered so far from God that they were in desert wastelands, hungry and thirsty, longing for the closeness they once had with Him. But when they cried out to God, He showed up! He led them by a straight way to a place they could be settled. He satisfied them and filled them with good things. (v. 4-9)
Some were stuck in darkness and gloom, suffering in chains of hopelessness because they had rebelled against God. They were stumbling in the consequences of their rebellion with no one to help. But when they cried out to God, He showed up! He brought them out of the darkness and broke away the chains of hopelessness. (v. 10-16)
Some rebelled and became fools, suffering under the weight of the afflictions their sins had brought upon them. They were in despair and they felt death drawing near. But when they cried out to God, He showed up! He sent forth His word and healed them. (v. 17-20)
Some were living through mighty storms and their courage had melted away. They were sure the storms would overtake them and they were at their wit’s end. But when they cried out to God, He showed up! He stilled the storms around them and guided them to safety. (v. 23-30)
It is no different with God’s people today. We can relate to the trouble these people found themselves in. Maybe we’ve wandered so far from God that we can’t hear His voice or feel the peace of His presence. Maybe we’ve allowed rebellion to bring us to a place of hopelessness and despair, bound by the chains of our bad choices. Maybe we’re experiencing fierce storms that are causing us to feel a fear that we can’t seem to shake. Wherever we are, God is still on His throne. He has not gone anywhere! We can respond like the lost and broken people in the Psalm did. We can cry out to the Lord in our trouble and know that He will show up and deliver us.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. – Psalm 107:6
God loves us and He will always show up! He will save us from our mess and deliver us from our distress. In fact, God showed up in a big way when He sent His Son to deliver us from the eternal mess of sin and separation from Him. Our ultimate deliverance and eternal hope are found in Jesus Christ.
Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord. – Psalm 107:43
