Thought for June 7, 2024

•  1099: First Crusaders arrive in Jerusalem
• 1769: Daniel Boone begins exploring Kentucky
• 1893: Gandhi's first act of civil disobedience
• 1929: Vatican City becomes a sovereign state
• 1941: Whirlaway wins Belmont and the Triple Crown
• 1942: Battle of Midway ends
• 1946: Supreme Court bans discrimination in interstate travel
• 1969: "Johnny Cash Show" premiers
• 1977: Anita Bryant leads successful march against gay rights in Miami
• 2020: Covid death toll passes 400,000
• Born: Beau Brummel, Paul Gauguin, Jessica Tandy, Dean Martin, James Jude [developed CPR], Virginia McKenna ["Born Free"], Tom Jones, Muammar Gaddafi, Liam Neeson, Prince, Mike Pence, Bear Grylls
• Died: Robert the Bruce, Franz Gruber ["Silent Night"], Jean Harlow, Alan Turing, Dorothy Parker, EM Forster, Henry Miller, Bill France Sr., Jim McKay, Christopher Lee

Thought:

Reading Psalm 107 today, the first psalm in the last of the five books of the psalms. Back on July 3, 2022, I used this psalm as the scripture for  morning worship at the church. Here are some things that speak to me from this psalm.

• The psalm ends with some good advice--a wise person should pay attention to what is said in this psalm and consider the lovingkindness of God. Our parent or a teacher or coach may have said to us--if you are smart, you'll pay attention to this. Here, God says, if you want to be wise, pay attention to what is said here. 
• Four times in this psalm we read "then they cried out to the Lord" followed by "let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness." Take a look at those:
• 107:6. Here they cried out because they were in trouble. what had happened? They were wandering in a desert, hungry, thirsty and fainting. Ever been there? Found yourself wandering and wondering. Things looked bad. This relates to the Israelites wandering in the desert after refusing to enter the promised land. For me, life sometimes gets dry, parched, I am running on empty; I am confused, need wisdom. Then I cry out to the Lord. Notice--God delivered them out of their distress and led them home. [107:6-7] He satisfied their hunger and thirst and filled them with good things. [107:9] There He gave manna and water from the rock. In our lives He gives the bread of Life and Living Water.
• 107:13. Here the people cried out because they were in darkness and under the shadow of death; living as prisoners in misery and chains. [107:10] Like us before salvation--facing the wages of sin, chained to our fleshly lusts. Then He brought them out of the darkness and into the light and broke every chain and the penalty of death. [107:14]
• 107:19. Here they cried out because of illness and plague caused by their rebellion. [107:17] God responded by sending His word/Word and healed and delivered them. Recall how the Israelites were infested with serpents, but a bronze serpent was raised and those who looked upon it were healed and delivered from death. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so was Jesus lifted up. 
• 107:28. They cried out to the Lord because of the storms and winds of life [107:25-26]. Tossed about like the apostles on the Sea of Galilee. He responded by quieting the sea and guiding them to shore. [107:29-30]
• And how does the word say we respond to His deliverance? Give thanks for His lovingkindness and for His wonders. Offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing of His works. [107:22] Praise Him among the people and in the sanctuaries. [107:32]

Now look at 107:2. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so--if I have been redeemed, if I have cried out and been delivered from my trouble and distress, then I should proclaim it. Today is a good day to start telling everyone about how God has responded when 6pm and I cried out to Him.

Blessings

Larry