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Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Reading: Psalm 107:1-7

Verse 6: “They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.”

Psalm 107 opens with a call to give thanks to God because God is good and loving. And because God “redeemed [them] from the hand of the foe.” God most recently rescued them from exile and gathered the people of God back to Israel. Yes, this is a great reason to bring praise and thanksgiving to God. When has God redeemed or rescued you most recently from a time of exile or wilderness wandering? Pause and offer God a moment of praise and thanksgiving for God’s goodness and love.

Moving into verses 4-5 the psalmist details some of their struggles. The people wandered without a home. During the Exodus wilderness time and during the exile in Babylon, the people were without a true home. They were lost spiritually too, often quarreling with and questioning God. The sense of being without a home raises up insecurities and fears, leading often to an increase in feelings of hopelessness and despair. In the struggle it can feel like our life is ebbing away. This all can, in turn, lead us to a hunger and thirst for God’s presence in our lives. Pause and reflect on a time when you felt this way. When did you feel without a faith home, without an assurance of God’s presence in your life?

In verse 6 we read, “They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.” In their exile or wilderness or struggle, they got to the point of crying out to God. We too will reach that point. Our efforts have failed. Like it was with Israel, God will come in and deliver us too. God will help us back onto the “straight way,” rebuilding our relationship with and our trust and faith in God, bringing us back home. God is good and loving. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, you are faithful and true, loving and forgiving. Time and time again I have cried out to you. Time and time again you are right there, becoming present to me in the exile or wilderness, walking with me through the struggle. I beg you to continue to walk with me as I desire to walk with you. Amen.


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Praise and Worship

Reading: 2nd Samuel 6: 1-5 and 12b-19

Verse 5: “David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord”.

Photo credit: Hannah Skelly

As chapter six opens, David begins to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem. The Ark had first traveled with the Israelites through the desert during their wanderings and had always dwelt in the tabernacle. It represented God’s very presence with the people. A foolish decision was made to bring the Ark into battle. It was lost to the hated Philistines. But it brought disaster upon them and they sent it back. The Ark ended up at Abinadab’s house. His home was blessed by its presence. David decides that the Ark of God should be in the main city of Jerusalem.

A great crowd gathers to move and then welcome the Ark into the city of David. It is a joyous occasion, one worthy of great worship. We read in verse five that “David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord”. The Ark was once again in the central place in Israel! The city would be blessed! What a great day!

David, the king, is leading the procession – both physically and spiritually. He is unashamed of his worship of the Lord. He “danced before the Lord with all his might”. He must have inspired others to worship wholeheartedly too. When has your worship moved others? When has your passion for the Lord drawn others deeper into the act of worship?

When they are in church, two little girls love to dance. The twins are going into first grade this fall. When they dance to the music it warms my heart and makes me smile all over. It connects me closer to God. Their joy raises my joy. It is something we can all do. May we too be willing to dance before the Lord with all our might.

Prayer: Lord of all, you alone are worthy of our praise and worship. Each day may I praise you and bring you the glory that is due. May my worship draw others deeper into relationship with you. Amen.