The scripture for today comes from Psalm 107.
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
Some wander in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty, they are so fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man.
For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Some said in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons.
For they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor.
They fell down with none to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness in the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man.
For he shatters the doors of bronze, and cuts in two the bars of iron.
Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities, suffered affliction.
They loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man.
And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy.
Some went down to the sea in ships, during business on the great waters.
They saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep.
For he commanded and raised a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to heaven.
They went down to the depths.
Their courage melted away in their evil plight.
They reeled and staggered like drunken men, and were at their wit's end.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man.
Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground,
a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of his inhabitants.
He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water.
And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in.
They sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield.
By his blessing, they multiply greatly, and he does not let the livestock diminish.
When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
he pours contempt on princes, and makes them wander in trackless ways.
But he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks.
The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things.
Let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
This is the word of God.
Good morning, everyone.
Brilliant. You know you're meant to respond.
My name is Nsikan.
I co-leader CG called The Messengers with Leo and Henrique.
It's an honor to bring God's word to you this morning.
I'm going to share a quick life experience,
and I think everyone would attest to it that if you've ever been in trouble
or in grave danger and your stomach sinks,
then you start to sweat really bad.
Years ago, I just finished driving school,
and I decided to take my mom's car for a ride.
She sent me on an errand quite alright.
So I went out with the vehicle,
but I didn't go out with my driver's license.
I didn't have the L inscription on the vehicle.
I just thought it's a few blocks away.
It's not too far off.
I could get the petrol and come back home.
I didn't go alone.
I went with the family driver.
He was with us that day.
So I drove to the petrol station,
got the petrol,
and on driving out of the petrol station,
I ran into another vehicle.
There's no need to panic.
No one died.
There wasn't anything drastic or anything.
The only thing bad was
the headlamp of the other vehicle was completely gone.
It was off.
My mom's car was still good,
which was great.
It meant no trouble.
But because our vehicle wasn't damaged at all,
the lady insisted that we had to pay for damages.
So my sister called,
noticing that we're running too late,
and I told her about what happened.
She called my elder brother.
My elder brother came in,
and he saved the day.
No grounding,
no scolding.
It was good.
Thankfully,
that happened.
If that did not happen,
I would surely have been in trouble that day.
And the psalm that we're about considering
is quite similar to my story,
where God redeems his people
from trouble.
And the Bible currently is,
coherently tries to communicate one message.
God's desire to have a relationship with his people.
And it is centered on the people of Israel.
Because I believe God would want to use Israel
as an example for all of humanity to sort of see.
And this is an example for all these people.
And the book of Psalms,
though it is centered on the people of Israel,
it's collected over a period of years.
And we're currently in book five,
one of seven.
And it's written by,
as you've noticed,
it's written by several authors.
There's David,
there's Asaph.
Last week,
we considered one of the psalms by Ethan.
And though this week,
the writer is anonymous,
because it was collated over a period of time,
but it still tells of the people of Israel
and their history.
And the timeline on where we are with Psalm 107
is just before when Israel is leaving exile
and they're on the merry way to Jerusalem.
And I believe Neil sort of touched
in the exile last week.
So I wouldn't want to go over that again today.
But today we would consider God's covenant,
God's covenant commitment to Israel
in light of their redemption
as they leave to exile.
But before we sort of understand
what is in 107,
we would quickly touch base with 106.
And I'll read it quickly
in the concluding verses of 106.
Save us, O Lord, our God,
and gather us from among the nations
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.
Blessed be the Lord,
the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
And let all the people say amen.
Praise the Lord.
On hearing this,
you would sense the outcry
of the people of Israel
asking God to save them
because they were in distress,
they were in trouble,
they were in a tight corner.
And shortly after these verses
and jumping to 107 that we just read,
you'd see this outburst of praise and thanksgiving.
It's just an immediate start.
Start.
It wasn't,
the psalm doesn't start off slow
and builds up to the end.
It sort of just starts in between
and there's that outburst of praise
and thanksgiving,
like in verses 1 to 3.
O give thanks to the Lord
for He is good
and His steadfast love
and He is yours forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom He has redeemed
and gathered from,
gathered in from the lands,
from the east
and from the west
and from the north
and from the south.
You could sense that joy
and thanksgiving
because there's that transition
from the people of Israel
being in exile
and asking God for help
and them leaving exile
and being thankful
that that has happened.
And maybe for us,
the word exile might be
a bit too abstract.
Our closest experience with exile
would be COVID times
where we had lockdown
and restrictions
and no traveling.
And we would attest
that when there were
no longer restrictions,
there was that jubilation
in our hearts.
I even had colleagues
who were saying
that they're going
on revenge travel.
Like they have all their tickets
planned out.
They're going to Singapore.
as much as many countries
they can afford
at that time.
And we're not any different.
Just like the people of Israel
who were one time in exile
and now we're walking
towards redemption.
And in likewise manner,
in our time and day,
we're still growing.
We're still learning.
And I hope that
as we go through the passage,
we'd see that
there's a parallel
between the people of Israel
and our own journey
and experience.
The introductory verses
sort of set a precedent
for the structure
of the Psalms.
There's that introductory verses
in verse 1 to 3.
And there are two other subsets
that sort of,
that can be summarized
in two points.
God's steadfast love
or God's confident commitment
in the past
and God's confident commitment
in the future.
In the first portions,
which is God's confident commitment
in the past,
which is between
verses 4 to 32,
it can be summarized
into four stories.
The four stories
are more like reflections
of what the people of Israel
had gone through
and God's redemption
in the midst of all of that.
The first story is
between verses 4 to 9,
which reads,
Some wandered in desert waste,
finding no way
to a city to dwell in,
hungry and thirsty.
Their soul fainted within them
then they cried to the Lord
in their trouble
and He delivered them
from their distress.
And I don't think
the desert is one of the best
places to wander.
It is not a fun place.
It is dry,
it's scorching hot,
the weather conditions
are not one of the best.
it is,
they're sandstorms,
and even more,
they're dangerous animals
that you would not even
sort of have a means
of protection.
But if we put this
in the context
of the people of Israel
and we would try
to take it back
and wonder,
like,
when did this happen?
How did this happen?
But it would tell us
that this wandering
in the desert
brings us back
to one time in Exodus
where the people
of Israel,
out of disobedience,
wandered for 40 years.
The second story,
which also starts
from verse 10
and runs through to 16,
I'd read in part,
Some sat in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in afflictions
and in irons,
for they had rebelled
against the words of God
and spun the council
of the Most High.
So he bowed their hearts
down in hard labor,
they fell down
with none to help.
Historically,
it is evident
that when nations
conquer another nation,
they take people
off as slaves.
And for the case
of Israel,
this describes
the invasion
that happened to them
that led to their exile.
The people were bound
in chains
and this is a result
of their disobedience.
Not only that slaves
were locked in caves
and dark places,
but they were forced
to do laborer's attacks
and it sort of sounds
like the invasion
that happened
with Assyria
and the Babylonians.
The third story,
which is still
in the first part
that we're considering,
is between verse 17
to 22.
And I'd read it in part,
some were fools
through their sinful ways
and because of their
iniquities suffered affliction.
They looted
any kind of food.
They drew near
to the gates
of death.
And the wilderness
experience
is very likened
to this.
Because if you're
in such a condition,
I'm sure you would
have several
near-death experiences
where you're in trouble.
And finally,
the fourth story,
which starts
from verse 23
to 32.
Read,
some went down
in ships
doing business
in great waters.
Some saw
the deeds
of the Lord,
his wondrous walks
in the deep.
For he commanded
and raised
the stormy wind
which lifted up
the waves
of the sea.
They mounted
up to heaven.
They went up
to the depths.
Their courage
melted
in their evil
plight.
They reeled
and staggered
like drunken men
and were at their
wits end.
Though Israel's
geography
doesn't necessarily
is anywhere
borderline
close to
the river,
but we know
that a key part
of Israel's history
is also
the prophets.
prophets
and
one would
conclude
that this
would be
a typical
story of Jonah
and him
fleeing
from God
and getting
on a ship
to Nineveh.
Though he fled
in disobedience
and he saw
the wonders
of the sea,
but for the sailors
that was
their redemption.
But
if you were
reading it
from afar
you would wonder
why does the writer
have to write
four stories
to say the same
thing all over
and over again?
What would be
the point?
He could just
well read
in just one
story,
say one thing
and conclude
there.
And even
in the structure
there seems
to be a pattern
where there's
an introduction
and a couple
of repeated
statements.
I believe
there's an
importance to
that.
The importance
is in
repetition.
This
repetition
leads us
to what
we see
in the interlude
between the
structure.
It's seen
in verses
6,
13,
19,
and 28
which reads
I believe
repetition
is a good
approach
when you
want to
lay emphasis
on what
you're trying
to communicate
in hopes
that if you
missed it
the first
time,
you would
not miss
it in the
second time.
If you
probably missed
it the second
time,
you would
also see
it in the
third time.
And repeatedly,
the writer
just kept
emphasizing
on this
one thing
that the
people cried
out to the
Lord and
the Lord
delivered
them.
Another
key repetition
that is seen
through the
series of
stories that
we just
considered
is in
the
conclusion
which is
seen in
verse 8,
15,
and 21
and he
reads
let them
thank the
Lord for
his steadfast
love,
for his
wondrous
works to
the
children
of
men.
I believe
the writer
is emphasizing
on one
thing,
that God
truly redeems
the people
of Israel
because of
his character,
his steadfast
love,
that the
reason why
they experienced
deliverance and
redemption wasn't
because they
were in trouble
or they were
in a tight
situation,
it wasn't
because they
cried out
either,
it was
ultimately
because of
his character,
his covenant
commitment,
to his
people.
If you
grew up in
church like
me,
this word
might not
be new
to you.
Steadfast
love is
something that
we probably
have even
heard in
songs,
we've had
it with
bumper
stickers,
there'll be
wallpapers
about it,
it's a very
Christianese
word,
if I may,
and the
translation
just reads
that's
chesed,
I know
my Hebrew
and Greek
is not
close to
Nils,
but the
translation
basically means
God is
committed to
the people
of Israel,
there's a
covenant that
doesn't change
irrespective of
Israel's
rebellion.
Thankfully,
Nils
established
what this
means
last week
when we
considered
Psalms 8-9,
but when
we think
of the
character
of God,
we might
want to
assume that
it is
very distinct,
it is
separate.
We would
consider it
to be like
a pie of
pizza or
a pumpkin
pie,
where you'd
have a
slice of
God's
goodness,
a slice
of His
mercy,
a slice
of justice,
a slice
of love,
a slice
of patience,
and any
sort of
excellence
that we
might ascribe
to Him.
But the
character of
God is
not the
characteristics
of God.
The character
of God is
the character
of God.
It is
absolute.
There is
no fraction,
it is in
complete
measure.
The character
of God
is God
by
Himself-ness.
It is
who God
is.
If by
any chance
we take
away the
steadfastness
of God
or His
confident
commitment
of God,
then we
have
ripped Him
off of
His
excellence.
Thus,
He can
be trusted.
If God
cannot be
trusted,
then He
is no
longer
just.
If God
is no
longer
just,
then He
can occupy
the place
as God.
But because
He is
steadfast or
because He
has His
confident
commitment
towards us,
then that
is what makes
Him holy,
different,
distinct from
any other
deity or
any other
celestial being
that we
can think
of.
It is the
steadfastness
of God's
character that
makes Him
loving or
just or
kind or
any other
excellence we
can ascribe to
Him.
It's all
intertwined.
There are no
singularity.
It's absolute
together.
So because
since God is
committed to
us, does that
mean that we
would be
reckless?
Absolutely
not.
I do not
think so.
But if we
choose to be
reckless, it
only means that
maybe we
haven't fully
understood the
character of
God.
If we
choose to be
reckless, we
would surely
bear the
fruits of our
actions.
And just
like this
text has
showed us in
verse 4 to
5, the
people who
wandered in
desert west,
finding no way
to a city to
dwell in,
hungry and
thirsty, and
their soul
fainted within
them, it
was because of
their reckless
actions or
their choices,
they indeed
bore the
repercussions of
the poor
choices they
made.
But when we
understand or
embrace the
reality of
who God is
or how He
is committed
to us,
because He
loves us,
He should
drive us to
worship.
Shouldn't He
drive us to
worship?
shouldn't the
excellent of
God drive us
to worship?
Because how
can an
excellent God
be committed
to us even
when we
rebel, if
it is in
love?
Just like the
children of
Israel, church,
I believe we
have wandered
the desert
waste of
life, looking
for rest for
our souls.
Haven't we
sought in
darkness or the
shadow of
death, becoming
prisoners in
affliction, under
the irons of
our own
addiction?
Haven't we
foolishly, through
our own sinful
ways, suffered
repercussions in
our bodies and
in our souls?
Haven't we, like
Jonah, fled and
as a result of
our disobedience,
experienced the
wonders of God?
Even in the
state of our
rebellion, God
is still committed
to us.
God still
shows us
mercy and
brings us
redemption
through Jesus.
Shouldn't that
drive us to
worship?
Shouldn't his
goodness lead us
to repentance?
That in
looking back, just
like the author
reflecting over
the history of
Israel and
the actions,
that we
see the
consistent
commitment of
God in
loving us,
in redeeming
us, despite
when we
rebel.
God
and in
doing so,
that we
be driven
to worship
the God
of Israel
and bust
out with
thanksgiving,
just like the
introductory
verses.
Oh, give
thanks to the
Lord, for he
is good, for
his steadfast love
endures forever.
Let the
redeemed of the
Lord say so,
whom he has
redeemed from
trouble.
I believe God
has indeed
redeemed us
from trouble
and gathered
us in this
beautiful city
of Hong Kong
this Sunday
morning.
And when we
reflect on that,
I believe it
should drive us
to worship.
It should
drive us to
give thanks
and not to
be static
or stoic.
The writer
reflection
points us to
two things.
That when we
consider all
Christ has
done, that we
would surely
attest to the
faithfulness of
God.
Because to be
honest, we
forget too
easily.
We forget
how much
redeeming
God is
towards us.
We forget
too easily
because most
times we are
just narrowed
down to how
we want things
to go or how
we want
things to
pan out.
And secondly,
the writer
writes in
reflection of
the people
of Israel
and their
past, hoping
to point us
to the
future that
is ahead of
us.
Which leads
us to the
second part,
God's
covenant
commitment to
us for the
future.
On the
second part,
it starts
from verses
33 to
43.
Still on
the context
of the people
of Israel,
it's almost
even
repeating
because he
repeats the
same thing
about the
people of
Israel leaving
exile and
returning back
again or
them walking
in rebellion
and God
showing them
redemption.
But this
time, rather
than telling
four stories,
he borrows a
very poetic
style from the
books of the
prophets.
And there's that
juxtaposition
between what
God does that
is almost
impossible,
like bringing
desert to a
fruitful place
or a fruitful
place becoming
a desert.
If we read
from verse
33 to
38,
he turns
rivers into
a desert,
springs of
water into
thirsty ground,
a fruitful
land into
salty waste,
because of the
evil of its
inhabitants.
He turns
a desert into
pool of
water,
a patched
land into
springs of
water,
and there he
lets the
hungry dwell.
He establishes
a city for
them to
live in.
They sow
fields and
plant vineyards
and get a
fruitful yield,
but his
blessing they
multiply greatly
and he does
not let their
livestock diminish.
If we
consider the
people of
Israel,
it relates
so much
to them,
because before
the people
of Israel
inhabited
Canaan,
there were
the Amorites.
The Amorites
were this
pagan nation
that were
the original
inhabitants of
Canaan.
God spoke
to Abraham
in Genesis
15,
telling him
that your
people would
go through
slavery in
Egypt,
but 400
years later
they would
come back
and dwell in
this land
because the
inhabitants of
this land,
their wickedness
had not,
their wickedness
is not yet
full,
or my justice
hasn't gotten
to them yet.
A similar
reference is
also with the
destruction of
Sodom and
Gomorrah,
this fruitful
city that
became completely
ruined because
of the evil
of the
inhabitants.
And we
see that
God's covenant
commitment is
not just only
in bringing
fruitfulness of
blessing,
but it's also
in justice.
It's also in
bringing justice
to the evil
of the land.
But the
writer doesn't
end yet on
the history of
Israel because
Canaan as we
know it,
which was a
desert place,
suddenly becomes
this fruitful
land.
It wasn't
because of the
agricultural
practices of
Israel.
It's not
because they
had the best
technology either.
The reason
why Canaan
became fruitful
was because of
God's covenant
commitment.
It was God's
covenant commitment
that took this
empty land that
is flat to
become fruitful.
It was that
miracle of God.
And almost
towards the
ending from
39 to 42,
we're introduced
to another
period of
Israel's history
when they also
rebelled against
God and God
brought justice
to them.
It reads,
when they were
diminished and
brought low
through oppression,
evil and sorrow,
he pours contempt
on princes and
make them wander
in trackless
wastes.
But he raises
up the needy
of affliction
and make their
families like
flocks,
your pride
see and are
glad and all
wickedness
shut his mouth.
We know
Israel's,
a key part of
Israel's
disobedience was
because they
chose to have
kings.
And because they
chose to have
kings,
the kings let
them astray
and they
started worshipping
other gods.
The choice to
have other
kings led
even to that
great oppression
and exile.
But in the
midst of all of
that, we
still see God's
hand redeeming
the people of
usual.
Why?
It's clear.
It's his
covenant
commitment.
In considering
the writer or
in looking at
the perspective
of the writer,
why does he
do this?
Why does he
go over the
same thing all
over again?
I believe as
the people
live in
exile,
they would
be shattered
with no
hope,
with no
certainty of
what's ahead
of them.
And as
covenant of
Israel,
I'm sure
they are aware
that Jerusalem
is in ruins.
There is no
certainty of
a house
or cattle
or food.
And the
writer reflects
in that past,
hoping that in
looking back,
the people of
Israel will
look forward
and remember
that it is
God who
made Canaan
what it is.
It is not
their best
practices that
made Canaan
fruitful.
It is God
who brought
the miracle of
desert land
becoming fruitful.
Israel.
The writer
also writes
in response
to remind
the people
of Israel
not to
repeat the
same thing
that the
past generation
made in
going in
rebellion and
idol worship,
hoping that
he would
encourage them
not to
forget
quickly the
covenant
commitment of
God and
to remember
that God
is indeed
faithful in
the past,
in the
present,
and even
in the
future that
they are
heading into,
that they
will see
through the
lens of
faith and
not through
despair and
trust in
God.
I know
someone in
the crowd
has already
started
yawning and
saying,
this is not
a history
class in
Sikan,
this is
2023,
there is
no business
between me
and Israel,
I am firing
Hong Kong.
but we
can attest
that though
that we
might not
have gone
through a
political
exile,
but we
are on
the journey
of life
and to
be honest,
each and
every one
of us
have questioned
what's ahead
of us.
We have
looked,
looking across
the crowd
and seeing
whether young
or old,
we have
considered that
question,
like what's
ahead,
be it when
you're just
graduating or
you're just
starting a new
role,
and you're
wondering in
the next
three,
four years,
what's ahead
of me?
And in most
cases,
when we
consider this
question,
we end up
in a rabbit
hole of
despair,
of anxiety,
of worry,
and the
writer in
response to
our own
situation
would be to
point us to
a better
reality,
point us to
remember that
God is indeed
faithful,
and his
covenant
commitment
is not
just only
for the
times of
the old,
but it's
also for
the future
that is
ahead of
us that
we do
not know.
The
closest
historical,
how do I
know this
is true?
The closest
historical,
tangible facts
that we can
hold on to
is there
was this
man called
Jesus of
Nazareth,
this random
guy,
born in the
family of the
lineage of
David.
this man
died,
he rose
because of
God's
covenant
commitment.
The greatest
tangible
expression of
God's
covenant
commitment
is in
the presence
of Jesus
because he
speaks of
a greater
redemption,
a greater
provision,
a security
that we
would have
not just
for our
bodies,
but ultimately
for our
souls.
And this
is what
we must
consider.
Even in
looking forward
in what's
ahead of
us,
we can
also reflect
and look
back and
see that
in the
timeline of
historical
events,
there was
this man
Jesus,
and he
is the
most tangible
expression
that we
can hold
on to.
And we
wouldn't,
by God's
grace,
not longer
look into
the future
with despair,
anxiety,
would know
that God
is faithful
and he
is good
because he
brought Christ
from the
dead,
and even
more because
Christ was
even faithful
to the
cross.
Now that
we have
sort of
learned
about this,
how do
we respond?
To be
fair,
when I
studied the
psalm,
and knowing
that this
is what
the psalm
is saying,
the psalm
is saying
God's
covenant
commitment
is unchanging,
and I
question,
how does
this mean,
or what
does this
mean for
me?
Do I
actually
trust God's
covenant
commitment,
or do I
actually
try to
fix things
my way,
get it
done?
And to
be fair,
I think I
have my
moments,
there are
periods where
I trust
completely,
and at
times I'm
like,
God,
I think I
can do
a better
job,
I can
make things
happen.
And maybe
for someone
who is
here that
is not
a Christian,
a practical
application
would be,
a good place
to start
would be just
to acknowledge
that indeed
God has
worked behind
the scenes.
Maybe a
good time
would be to
consider your
life and
reflect on
several events
and see that
indeed God
has been
working behind.
maybe we
would need
to acknowledge
that you
are finite
and God
is infinite.
And even
more,
maybe you
should consider
the cross
and this
man,
Jesus.
The cross
that speaks
of a public
display of
trust and
affection,
that also
speaks of
your own
redemption.
And in
response to
that,
maybe you
would be,
you would
say like the
psalmist,
oh,
give thanks
to the
Lord,
because he
has been
committed to
me all
this while
and I
never knew.
And for
us Christians,
maybe a
good place
to start
would be
in prayer
and
thanksgiving.
Because most
times we
think that
prayer would
sort of
change things
or make
things go
away,
but I'm
learning to
see that
most times
what prayer
first changes
is your
heart.
Prayer would
change your
heart to
see Jesus
and see
that he
is committed,
even though
things are
not necessarily
going how
you panned
it to be.
And I'll
share this
as an
encouragement
because I
don't think
I'm 100%
there yet.
During the
COVID periods,
when COVID
started,
I used to
worry a lot
about my
parents because
they're in
the early
60s,
going to
the 70s,
and one
evening I
remember just
being blunt
and like,
I do not
know what
to do,
Lord.
I worry
about these
people and
I'm miles
away.
And the
question popped
to my head
was,
where would
you rather
have them
be?
Would you
rather keep
them and keep
them safe or
would you
trust them to
me so that
I would keep
them safe?
And I
wrestled with
that for a
moment and
I realized
that maybe
I'm not as
meticulous as
I think that
I am.
Maybe my
parents are
even way
more safer
in his
arms more
than mine.
Because what's
the best I
could give
them?
Health
insurance?
Paying the
hospital bills?
That would,
it's not a
guaranteed safety.
It's not a
guaranteed security.
Maybe,
I came to
a resolution
that day that
maybe they
are rather
safe with
him rather
than with
me.
And I
am trying to
apply that
same resolve
to every
other thing
in prayer
and in
thanksgiving
that even
in the
future,
maybe my
career is
safe in
his arms
rather than
my network
and connections.
Maybe my
security and
provision,
everything that
I worry
over is
safe in
his arms
rather than
my good
AIA
insurance
policy.
And that's
the comfort
I am
resolving to.
That even
though one
day my
parents might
pass on
this life,
I would be
comforted,
not because
I have
everything,
but because
I know
God's
covenant
commitment
is true,
it is
faithful.
And I
would hold
on to
the truth
that if
God said
those who
mourn will
be comforted,
then I'm
sure he
would comfort
me because
he is
committed to
make that
happen.
And for
as a
community,
I think
a good
way would
be to
keep our
eyes on
Jesus.
Keeping our
eyes on
Jesus would
be,
would somewhat
mean that
each and
every one of
us in an
old way,
we would
encourage each
other to
see that
God is
indeed
faithful.
Like this is what happened in my life.
This is the faithfulness of God.
Even in our small community groups or TGs or family groups, we can attest to each other.
Maybe we can have a journal or a praise report that we read to each other each time.
This is God's covenant commitment.
This is the time God came through in order to encourage us not to forget,
but to remember that God is indeed faithful and he's committed to secure us,
to keep us through all that we might face in his life.
And in conclusion, I hope we consider our life experience.
I hope we consider and see the patterns just like the Psalms.
And maybe we would have more than four stories or five stories.
Maybe we would have infinite stories to tell that God has indeed faithful.
God has indeed been faithful and he is indeed committed to keep us.
And whether in the past or in the future to come,
we would be like the Psalmist.
And shout in outburst or solemnly attest,
Oh, give thanks to the Lord for his good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
for he has redeemed us from trouble.
Let us pray.
Lord, we thank you for today.
We thank you that by your grace,
may your word be an encouragement to everyone who hear it.
We pray, oh Lord, that when we forget,
that we will be reminded that you are indeed faithful
and you are committed to us because you love us.
And Lord, may we walk in understanding,
not to take it for granted,
but in open arms,
rever that you are indeed the God who walks behind the scenes
and you are the God who delivers,
you are the God who rescues and saves us.
Help us to trust in you and not on the idols that we've created,
not in the securities that we've guided or mounted around our heart.
Help us to see you as our only resort.
Help us to trust you even in the mundane things, Lord.
In Christ's name that we pray.
Amen.