A Strange Land

Psalm 137 English Standard Version (ESV)

137 

By the waters of Babylon,
    there we sat down and wept,
    when we remembered Zion.

2 

On the willows[a] there
    we hung up our lyres.

3 

For there our captors
    required of us songs,
and our tormentors, mirth, saying,
    “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 

How shall we sing the Lord's song
    in a foreign land?

5 

If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
    let my right hand forget its skill!

6 

Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
    if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
    above my highest joy!

7 

Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites  the day of Jerusalem,
how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare,
    down to its foundations!”

8 

O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,
    blessed shall he be who repays you
    with what you have done to us!

9 

Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones
    and dashes them against the rock!

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+137&version=ESV

Have you ever found yourself somewhere that you didn’t want to be?  In this case they had been captured and taken from their homeland.  Not many of us have found ourselves in that situation yet I am sure there are times that we have felt like strangers in a foreign land.  In fact, we are to be aliens to this world, this should not be considered our home, yet we are to live here and speak God’s truths.  These men were asked to sing the Lord’s songs, they should have been glad to do so, yet theses were their enemies, why would they want them to hear of God’s goodness. 

As we journey in this life we need to remember that our future is not here.  We need to feel a little uncomfortable in the strange land but we need to always sing God’s praises to strangers and to our enemies.  As we remember yesterday, God’s steadfast love endures forever.  Now that is something to sing about!

As you seek Him may you find Him as He watches over you and takes care of you in this strange land.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

Is the Love Mutual?

Psalm 136 English Standard Version (ESV)

136 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

2 

Give thanks to the God of gods,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

3 

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

4 

to him who alone does great wonders,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

5 

to him who by understanding made the heavens,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

6 

to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

7 

to him who made the great lights,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

8 

the sun to rule over the day,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

9 

the moon and stars to rule over the night,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

10 

to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

11 

and brought Israel out from among them,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

12 

with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

13 

to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

14 

and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

15 

but overthrew[a] Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

16 

to him who led his people through the wilderness,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

17 

to him who struck down great kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

18 

and killed mighty kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

19 

Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

20 

and Og, king of Bashan,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

21 

and gave their land as a heritage,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

22 

a heritage to Israel his servant,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

23 

It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

24 

and rescued us from our foes,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

25 

he who gives food to all flesh,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

26 

Give thanks to the God of heaven,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+136&version=ESV)

As you read this Psalm you see the overlying theme in each verse, “for His steadfast love endures forever”.  The sad thing is that the people did not appear to share that love. Often times I think that is how it is today as well.  God can do mighty things to show His love to His people and they don’t even take the time to thank Him. 

Let’s just look at one example of that in this passage.  In verse 16, He led the people through the wilderness, they should have been thankful but they grumbled and complained instead.  They grumbled and complained so much that they didn’t even get to see the promised land, but their children did.  Why is it that we find ourselves in the same situation?  God is gracious to us because He loves us but instead we grumble and complain.  I know that I do more than my share of that! 

Today as we seek Him, let’s remember that He loves us and that love needs to be mutual.  Let’s thank Him for His mighty wonders rather than complain about them.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

Have We Earned the Right?

Psalm 135 English Standard Version (ESV)

135 

Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
    give praise, O servants of the Lord,

2 

who stand in the house of the Lord,
    in the courts of the house of our God!

3 

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
    sing to his name, for it is pleasant![a]

4 

For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
    Israel as his own possession.

5 

For I know that the Lord is great,
    and that our Lord is above all gods.

6 

Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
    in heaven and on earth,
    in the seas and all deeps.

7 

He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
    who makes lightnings for the rain
    and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

8 

He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    both of man and of beast;

9 

who in your midst, O Egypt,
    sent signs and wonders
    against Pharaoh and all his servants;

10 

who struck down many nations
    and killed mighty kings,

11 

Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    and Og, king of Bashan,
    and all the kingdoms of Canaan,

12 

and gave their land as a heritage,
    a heritage to his people Israel.

13 

Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
    your renown,[b] O Lord, throughout all ages.

14 

For the Lord will vindicate his people
    and have compassion on his servants.

15 

The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.

16 

They have mouths, but do not speak;
    they have eyes, but do not see;

17 

they have ears, but do not hear,
    nor is there any breath in their mouths.

18 

Those who make them become like them,
    so do all who trust in them.

19 

O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
    O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!

20 

O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
    You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!

21 

Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
    he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!

(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+135&version=ESV)

As I read this passage this morning two things stood out clearly to me.  The first was in verse 6, He does whatever He pleases.  How many of us think we have earned that right?  Have you ever said, “I’ll do what I please, I don’t care what anyone else says?”  Often times, as we go through maturity these words slip out of our mouths.  It might be at 18, 40, 60, 80 . . .  We may think we have earned the right because of all that we have accomplished in this life.  It seems the older we get the more rights that we think we have.  None of this is true, unless we have formed the clouds, made rain and lightening, or did any of the wonders of our God.  There is always someone older than us who has the only right to do what He pleases.  We need to always strive to please Him in our actions and even our thoughts.  We need to do as He pleases because He knows best.  Sometimes we get that direction from good godly friends whom we love and trust and who God has placed in our lives.

The second thing that stood out to me were verses 15 – 16.  Idols made of gold and silver.  Often times we hear that an idol can be anything that you put in place of God.  These verses specifically are idols that people bow down and worship.  They have no voice and they do not see but people will bow down and worship them.  Those who worship them become deaf to the words of God, they do not see Him, and they do not hear Him. 

Our God can see and He can hear and He is waiting for us to come to Him.  No other god can do as he pleases because he is not God our God is, as I have said before, the One True God.  No other gods have any place in our lives.  Worship and adore Him and do as He pleases.  Seek Him and know that He is the One True God.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila