WEBVTT

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 The scripture for today comes from Psalm 107.

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

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 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands,

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 from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

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 Some wander in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in.

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 Hungry and thirsty, they are so fainted within them.

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 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

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 He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.

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 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man.

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 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

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 Some said in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons.

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 For they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

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 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor.

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 They fell down with none to help.

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 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

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 He brought them out of darkness in the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.

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 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man.

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 For he shatters the doors of bronze, and cuts in two the bars of iron.

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 Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities, suffered affliction.

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 They loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.

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 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

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 He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.

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 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man.

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 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy.

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 Some went down to the sea in ships, during business on the great waters.

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 They saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep.

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 For he commanded and raised a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.

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 They mounted up to heaven.

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 They went down to the depths.

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 Their courage melted away in their evil plight.

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 They reeled and staggered like drunken men, and were at their wit's end.

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 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

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 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.

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 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.

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 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man.

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 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

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 He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground,

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 a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of his inhabitants.

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 He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water.

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 And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in.

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 They sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield.

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 By his blessing, they multiply greatly, and he does not let the livestock diminish.

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 When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow,

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 he pours contempt on princes, and makes them wander in trackless ways.

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 But he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks.

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 The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

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 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things.

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 Let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Good morning, everyone.

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 Brilliant. You know you're meant to respond.

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 My name is Nsikan.

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 I co-leader CG called The Messengers with Leo and Henrique.

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 It's an honor to bring God's word to you this morning.

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 I'm going to share a quick life experience,

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 and I think everyone would attest to it that if you've ever been in trouble

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 or in grave danger and your stomach sinks,

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 then you start to sweat really bad.

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 Years ago, I just finished driving school,

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 and I decided to take my mom's car for a ride.

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 She sent me on an errand quite alright.

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 So I went out with the vehicle,

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 but I didn't go out with my driver's license.

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 I didn't have the L inscription on the vehicle.

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 I just thought it's a few blocks away.

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 It's not too far off.

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 I could get the petrol and come back home.

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 I didn't go alone.

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 I went with the family driver.

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 He was with us that day.

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 So I drove to the petrol station,

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 got the petrol,

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 and on driving out of the petrol station,

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 I ran into another vehicle.

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 There's no need to panic.

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 No one died.

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 There wasn't anything drastic or anything.

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 The only thing bad was

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 the headlamp of the other vehicle was completely gone.

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 It was off.

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 My mom's car was still good,

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 which was great.

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 It meant no trouble.

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 But because our vehicle wasn't damaged at all,

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 the lady insisted that we had to pay for damages.

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 So my sister called,

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 noticing that we're running too late,

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 and I told her about what happened.

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 She called my elder brother.

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 My elder brother came in,

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 and he saved the day.

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 No grounding,

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 no scolding.

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 It was good.

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 Thankfully,

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 that happened.

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 If that did not happen,

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 I would surely have been in trouble that day.

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 And the psalm that we're about considering

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 is quite similar to my story,

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 where God redeems his people

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 from trouble.

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 And the Bible currently is,

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 coherently tries to communicate one message.

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 God's desire to have a relationship with his people.

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 And it is centered on the people of Israel.

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 Because I believe God would want to use Israel

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 as an example for all of humanity to sort of see.

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 And this is an example for all these people.

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 And the book of Psalms,

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 though it is centered on the people of Israel,

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 it's collected over a period of years.

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 And we're currently in book five,

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 one of seven.

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 And it's written by,

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 as you've noticed,

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 it's written by several authors.

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 There's David,

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 there's Asaph.

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 Last week,

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 we considered one of the psalms by Ethan.

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 And though this week,

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 the writer is anonymous,

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 because it was collated over a period of time,

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 but it still tells of the people of Israel

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 and their history.

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 And the timeline on where we are with Psalm 107

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 is just before when Israel is leaving exile

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 and they're on the merry way to Jerusalem.

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 And I believe Neil sort of touched

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 in the exile last week.

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 So I wouldn't want to go over that again today.

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 But today we would consider God's covenant,

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 God's covenant commitment to Israel

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 in light of their redemption

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 as they leave to exile.

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 But before we sort of understand

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 what is in 107,

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 we would quickly touch base with 106.

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 And I'll read it quickly

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 in the concluding verses of 106.

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 Save us, O Lord, our God,

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 and gather us from among the nations

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 that we may give thanks to your holy name

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 and glory in your praise.

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 Blessed be the Lord,

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 the God of Israel,

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 from everlasting to everlasting.

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 And let all the people say amen.

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 Praise the Lord.

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 On hearing this,

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 you would sense the outcry

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 of the people of Israel

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 asking God to save them

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 because they were in distress,

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 they were in trouble,

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 they were in a tight corner.

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 And shortly after these verses

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 and jumping to 107 that we just read,

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 you'd see this outburst of praise and thanksgiving.

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 It's just an immediate start.

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 Start.

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 It wasn't,

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 the psalm doesn't start off slow

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 and builds up to the end.

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 It sort of just starts in between

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 and there's that outburst of praise

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 and thanksgiving,

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 like in verses 1 to 3.

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 O give thanks to the Lord

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 for He is good

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 and His steadfast love

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 and He is yours forever.

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 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

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 whom He has redeemed

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 and gathered from,

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 gathered in from the lands,

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 from the east

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 and from the west

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 and from the north

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 and from the south.

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 You could sense that joy

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 and thanksgiving

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 because there's that transition

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 from the people of Israel

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 being in exile

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 and asking God for help

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 and them leaving exile

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 and being thankful

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 that that has happened.

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 And maybe for us,

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 the word exile might be

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 a bit too abstract.

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 Our closest experience with exile

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 would be COVID times

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 where we had lockdown

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 and restrictions

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 and no traveling.

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 And we would attest

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 that when there were

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 no longer restrictions,

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 there was that jubilation

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 in our hearts.

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 I even had colleagues

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 who were saying

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 that they're going

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 on revenge travel.

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 Like they have all their tickets

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 planned out.

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 They're going to Singapore.

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 as much as many countries

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 they can afford

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 at that time.

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 And we're not any different.

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 Just like the people of Israel

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 who were one time in exile

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 and now we're walking

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 towards redemption.

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 And in likewise manner,

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 in our time and day,

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 we're still growing.

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 We're still learning.

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 And I hope that

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 as we go through the passage,

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 we'd see that

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 there's a parallel

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 between the people of Israel

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 and our own journey

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 and experience.

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 The introductory verses

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 sort of set a precedent

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 for the structure

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 of the Psalms.

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 There's that introductory verses

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 in verse 1 to 3.

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 And there are two other subsets

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 that sort of,

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 that can be summarized

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 in two points.

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 God's steadfast love

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 or God's confident commitment

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 in the past

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 and God's confident commitment

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 in the future.

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 In the first portions,

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 which is God's confident commitment

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 in the past,

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 which is between

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 verses 4 to 32,

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 it can be summarized

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 into four stories.

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 The four stories

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 are more like reflections

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 of what the people of Israel

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 had gone through

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 and God's redemption

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 in the midst of all of that.

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 The first story is

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 between verses 4 to 9,

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 which reads,

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 Some wandered in desert waste,

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 finding no way

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 to a city to dwell in,

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 hungry and thirsty.

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 Their soul fainted within them

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 then they cried to the Lord

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 in their trouble

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 and He delivered them

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 from their distress.

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 And I don't think

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 the desert is one of the best

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 places to wander.

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 It is not a fun place.

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 It is dry,

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 it's scorching hot,

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 the weather conditions

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 are not one of the best.

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 it is,

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 they're sandstorms,

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 and even more,

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 they're dangerous animals

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 that you would not even

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 sort of have a means

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 of protection.

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 But if we put this

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 in the context

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 of the people of Israel

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 and we would try

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 to take it back

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 and wonder,

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 like,

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 when did this happen?

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 How did this happen?

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 But it would tell us

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 that this wandering

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 in the desert

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 brings us back

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 to one time in Exodus

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 where the people

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 of Israel,

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 out of disobedience,

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 wandered for 40 years.

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 The second story,

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 which also starts

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 from verse 10

00:13:18.160 --> 00:13:19.740
 and runs through to 16,

00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:20.940
 I'd read in part,

00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:22.980
 Some sat in darkness

00:13:22.980 --> 00:13:24.300
 and in the shadow of death,

00:13:25.060 --> 00:13:26.440
 prisoners in afflictions

00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:27.400
 and in irons,

00:13:27.880 --> 00:13:29.000
 for they had rebelled

00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:30.500
 against the words of God

00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:31.800
 and spun the council

00:13:31.800 --> 00:13:32.600
 of the Most High.

00:13:33.140 --> 00:13:34.420
 So he bowed their hearts

00:13:34.420 --> 00:13:35.700
 down in hard labor,

00:13:35.980 --> 00:13:36.880
 they fell down

00:13:36.880 --> 00:13:38.120
 with none to help.

00:13:39.400 --> 00:13:39.880
 Historically,

00:13:39.980 --> 00:13:40.520
 it is evident

00:13:40.520 --> 00:13:42.640
 that when nations

00:13:42.640 --> 00:13:43.880
 conquer another nation,

00:13:43.880 --> 00:13:44.660
 they take people

00:13:44.660 --> 00:13:45.460
 off as slaves.

00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:48.020
 And for the case

00:13:48.020 --> 00:13:48.620
 of Israel,

00:13:49.520 --> 00:13:49.880
 this describes

00:13:50.660 --> 00:13:51.480
 the invasion

00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:52.480
 that happened to them

00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:53.520
 that led to their exile.

00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:55.939
 The people were bound

00:13:55.939 --> 00:13:57.360
 in chains

00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:00.079
 and this is a result

00:14:00.079 --> 00:14:01.100
 of their disobedience.

00:14:01.899 --> 00:14:02.939
 Not only that slaves

00:14:02.939 --> 00:14:05.100
 were locked in caves

00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:06.179
 and dark places,

00:14:06.899 --> 00:14:07.799
 but they were forced

00:14:07.799 --> 00:14:09.079
 to do laborer's attacks

00:14:09.079 --> 00:14:11.000
 and it sort of sounds

00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:11.779
 like the invasion

00:14:11.779 --> 00:14:12.419
 that happened

00:14:12.419 --> 00:14:13.939
 with Assyria

00:14:13.939 --> 00:14:16.299
 and the Babylonians.

00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:18.199
 The third story,

00:14:18.439 --> 00:14:19.240
 which is still

00:14:19.240 --> 00:14:20.519
 in the first part

00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:21.319
 that we're considering,

00:14:21.539 --> 00:14:22.960
 is between verse 17

00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:24.400
 to 22.

00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:26.300
 And I'd read it in part,

00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:27.980
 some were fools

00:14:27.980 --> 00:14:29.879
 through their sinful ways

00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:30.980
 and because of their

00:14:30.980 --> 00:14:32.500
 iniquities suffered affliction.

00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:33.519
 They looted

00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:34.860
 any kind of food.

00:14:35.420 --> 00:14:36.500
 They drew near

00:14:36.500 --> 00:14:37.680
 to the gates

00:14:37.680 --> 00:14:38.700
 of death.

00:14:40.040 --> 00:14:41.540
 And the wilderness

00:14:41.540 --> 00:14:42.200
 experience

00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:43.519
 is very likened

00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:44.000
 to this.

00:14:44.680 --> 00:14:45.759
 Because if you're

00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:47.639
 in such a condition,

00:14:47.820 --> 00:14:48.600
 I'm sure you would

00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:49.840
 have several

00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:51.100
 near-death experiences

00:14:51.100 --> 00:14:52.000
 where you're in trouble.

00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:53.720
 And finally,

00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:54.600
 the fourth story,

00:14:55.240 --> 00:14:56.700
 which starts

00:14:56.700 --> 00:14:57.980
 from verse 23

00:14:57.980 --> 00:14:58.879
 to 32.

00:14:59.300 --> 00:14:59.340
 Read,

00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:00.639
 some went down

00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:01.120
 in ships

00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:01.960
 doing business

00:15:01.960 --> 00:15:03.540
 in great waters.

00:15:03.860 --> 00:15:04.400
 Some saw

00:15:04.400 --> 00:15:04.780
 the deeds

00:15:04.780 --> 00:15:05.360
 of the Lord,

00:15:05.460 --> 00:15:06.360
 his wondrous walks

00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:06.900
 in the deep.

00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:08.220
 For he commanded

00:15:08.220 --> 00:15:09.040
 and raised

00:15:09.040 --> 00:15:10.480
 the stormy wind

00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:11.860
 which lifted up

00:15:11.860 --> 00:15:12.400
 the waves

00:15:12.400 --> 00:15:12.980
 of the sea.

00:15:13.560 --> 00:15:14.080
 They mounted

00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:14.860
 up to heaven.

00:15:15.540 --> 00:15:16.139
 They went up

00:15:16.139 --> 00:15:17.560
 to the depths.

00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:18.580
 Their courage

00:15:18.580 --> 00:15:19.080
 melted

00:15:19.080 --> 00:15:20.080
 in their evil

00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:20.460
 plight.

00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:21.460
 They reeled

00:15:21.460 --> 00:15:22.120
 and staggered

00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:23.120
 like drunken men

00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:23.800
 and were at their

00:15:23.800 --> 00:15:26.680
 wits end.

00:15:27.780 --> 00:15:29.259
 Though Israel's

00:15:29.259 --> 00:15:29.759
 geography

00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:30.759
 doesn't necessarily

00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:32.639
 is anywhere

00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:33.180
 borderline

00:15:33.180 --> 00:15:33.840
 close to

00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:35.879
 the river,

00:15:36.020 --> 00:15:36.560
 but we know

00:15:36.560 --> 00:15:38.340
 that a key part

00:15:38.340 --> 00:15:39.340
 of Israel's history

00:15:39.340 --> 00:15:39.879
 is also

00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:41.000
 the prophets.

00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:41.179
 prophets

00:15:41.179 --> 00:15:42.080
 and

00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:44.340
 one would

00:15:44.340 --> 00:15:46.340
 conclude

00:15:46.340 --> 00:15:47.200
 that this

00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:47.720
 would be

00:15:47.720 --> 00:15:48.440
 a typical

00:15:48.440 --> 00:15:49.559
 story of Jonah

00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:50.659
 and him

00:15:50.659 --> 00:15:51.200
 fleeing

00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:52.720
 from God

00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:53.139
 and getting

00:15:53.139 --> 00:15:53.659
 on a ship

00:15:53.659 --> 00:15:54.299
 to Nineveh.

00:15:55.340 --> 00:15:56.460
 Though he fled

00:15:56.460 --> 00:15:57.379
 in disobedience

00:15:57.379 --> 00:15:58.299
 and he saw

00:15:58.299 --> 00:15:58.860
 the wonders

00:15:58.860 --> 00:16:00.320
 of the sea,

00:16:00.860 --> 00:16:01.580
 but for the sailors

00:16:01.580 --> 00:16:02.100
 that was

00:16:02.100 --> 00:16:03.159
 their redemption.

00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:05.299
 But

00:16:05.299 --> 00:16:07.220
 if you were

00:16:07.220 --> 00:16:07.720
 reading it

00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:08.279
 from afar

00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:08.919
 you would wonder

00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:10.200
 why does the writer

00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:11.520
 have to write

00:16:11.520 --> 00:16:12.259
 four stories

00:16:12.259 --> 00:16:13.180
 to say the same

00:16:13.180 --> 00:16:13.800
 thing all over

00:16:13.800 --> 00:16:14.500
 and over again?

00:16:15.220 --> 00:16:15.720
 What would be

00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:16.280
 the point?

00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:17.240
 He could just

00:16:17.240 --> 00:16:17.780
 well read

00:16:17.780 --> 00:16:18.440
 in just one

00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:18.860
 story,

00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:20.500
 say one thing

00:16:20.500 --> 00:16:22.740
 and conclude

00:16:22.740 --> 00:16:23.100
 there.

00:16:24.920 --> 00:16:25.360
 And even

00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:26.020
 in the structure

00:16:26.020 --> 00:16:26.759
 there seems

00:16:26.759 --> 00:16:27.540
 to be a pattern

00:16:27.540 --> 00:16:28.460
 where there's

00:16:28.460 --> 00:16:29.080
 an introduction

00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:30.780
 and a couple

00:16:30.780 --> 00:16:31.360
 of repeated

00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:31.920
 statements.

00:16:32.640 --> 00:16:33.040
 I believe

00:16:33.040 --> 00:16:33.360
 there's an

00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:34.060
 importance to

00:16:34.060 --> 00:16:34.320
 that.

00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:35.680
 The importance

00:16:35.680 --> 00:16:36.500
 is in

00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:37.440
 repetition.

00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:37.600
 repetition.

00:16:39.380 --> 00:16:39.980
 This

00:16:39.980 --> 00:16:41.020
 repetition

00:16:41.020 --> 00:16:41.900
 leads us

00:16:41.900 --> 00:16:42.840
 to what

00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:43.280
 we see

00:16:43.280 --> 00:16:44.100
 in the interlude

00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:45.700
 between the

00:16:45.700 --> 00:16:46.080
 structure.

00:16:46.400 --> 00:16:46.840
 It's seen

00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:47.260
 in verses

00:16:47.260 --> 00:16:48.420
 6,

00:16:48.700 --> 00:16:49.420
 13,

00:16:49.580 --> 00:16:50.080
 19,

00:16:50.200 --> 00:16:50.820
 and 28

00:16:50.820 --> 00:16:51.800
 which reads

00:16:51.799 --> 00:17:00.379
 I believe

00:17:00.379 --> 00:17:00.779
 repetition

00:17:00.779 --> 00:17:02.459
 is a good

00:17:02.459 --> 00:17:02.979
 approach

00:17:02.979 --> 00:17:03.539
 when you

00:17:03.539 --> 00:17:04.139
 want to

00:17:04.139 --> 00:17:05.059
 lay emphasis

00:17:05.059 --> 00:17:06.980
 on what

00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:07.579
 you're trying

00:17:07.579 --> 00:17:08.399
 to communicate

00:17:08.399 --> 00:17:09.359
 in hopes

00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:10.259
 that if you

00:17:10.259 --> 00:17:11.119
 missed it

00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:11.440
 the first

00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:11.720
 time,

00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:12.680
 you would

00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:13.079
 not miss

00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:13.359
 it in the

00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:13.859
 second time.

00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:14.500
 If you

00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:15.399
 probably missed

00:17:15.399 --> 00:17:15.839
 it the second

00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:16.139
 time,

00:17:16.220 --> 00:17:16.419
 you would

00:17:16.419 --> 00:17:16.859
 also see

00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:17.119
 it in the

00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:17.559
 third time.

00:17:18.139 --> 00:17:18.819
 And repeatedly,

00:17:18.819 --> 00:17:19.519
 the writer

00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:20.259
 just kept

00:17:20.259 --> 00:17:20.939
 emphasizing

00:17:20.939 --> 00:17:21.419
 on this

00:17:21.419 --> 00:17:22.000
 one thing

00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:24.700
 that the

00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:25.259
 people cried

00:17:25.259 --> 00:17:25.740
 out to the

00:17:25.740 --> 00:17:26.819
 Lord and

00:17:26.819 --> 00:17:27.240
 the Lord

00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:27.579
 delivered

00:17:27.579 --> 00:17:27.879
 them.

00:17:29.700 --> 00:17:30.220
 Another

00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:31.339
 key repetition

00:17:31.339 --> 00:17:32.079
 that is seen

00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:32.879
 through the

00:17:32.879 --> 00:17:33.720
 series of

00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:34.279
 stories that

00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:34.599
 we just

00:17:34.599 --> 00:17:35.059
 considered

00:17:35.059 --> 00:17:36.419
 is in

00:17:36.419 --> 00:17:36.759
 the

00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:39.599
 conclusion

00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:40.899
 which is

00:17:40.899 --> 00:17:41.259
 seen in

00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:41.819
 verse 8,

00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:42.519
 15,

00:17:42.679 --> 00:17:43.539
 and 21

00:17:43.539 --> 00:17:44.200
 and he

00:17:44.200 --> 00:17:44.480
 reads

00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:45.139
 let them

00:17:45.139 --> 00:17:45.659
 thank the

00:17:45.659 --> 00:17:46.059
 Lord for

00:17:46.059 --> 00:17:46.679
 his steadfast

00:17:46.679 --> 00:17:47.099
 love,

00:17:47.659 --> 00:17:48.039
 for his

00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:48.460
 wondrous

00:17:48.460 --> 00:17:49.440
 works to

00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:49.600
 the

00:17:49.600 --> 00:17:49.840
 children

00:17:49.840 --> 00:17:50.059
 of

00:17:50.059 --> 00:17:50.299
 men.

00:17:51.579 --> 00:17:52.319
 I believe

00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:52.779
 the writer

00:17:52.779 --> 00:17:53.960
 is emphasizing

00:17:53.960 --> 00:17:54.440
 on one

00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:54.700
 thing,

00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:55.819
 that God

00:17:55.819 --> 00:17:56.680
 truly redeems

00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:57.120
 the people

00:17:57.120 --> 00:17:57.640
 of Israel

00:17:57.640 --> 00:17:59.360
 because of

00:17:59.360 --> 00:18:00.180
 his character,

00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:01.640
 his steadfast

00:18:01.640 --> 00:18:02.039
 love,

00:18:03.220 --> 00:18:03.720
 that the

00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:04.380
 reason why

00:18:04.380 --> 00:18:05.259
 they experienced

00:18:05.259 --> 00:18:06.200
 deliverance and

00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:07.480
 redemption wasn't

00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:07.960
 because they

00:18:07.960 --> 00:18:08.480
 were in trouble

00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:09.039
 or they were

00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:10.120
 in a tight

00:18:10.120 --> 00:18:11.180
 situation,

00:18:11.900 --> 00:18:12.360
 it wasn't

00:18:12.360 --> 00:18:12.799
 because they

00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:13.240
 cried out

00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:13.559
 either,

00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:14.680
 it was

00:18:14.680 --> 00:18:15.799
 ultimately

00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:16.480
 because of

00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:17.079
 his character,

00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:17.799
 his covenant

00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:18.299
 commitment,

00:18:18.460 --> 00:18:18.860
 to his

00:18:18.860 --> 00:18:19.220
 people.

00:18:20.420 --> 00:18:21.079
 If you

00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:22.120
 grew up in

00:18:22.120 --> 00:18:22.920
 church like

00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:23.140
 me,

00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:24.160
 this word

00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:24.680
 might not

00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:25.079
 be new

00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:25.500
 to you.

00:18:25.840 --> 00:18:26.259
 Steadfast

00:18:26.259 --> 00:18:27.220
 love is

00:18:27.220 --> 00:18:27.860
 something that

00:18:27.860 --> 00:18:28.900
 we probably

00:18:28.900 --> 00:18:29.440
 have even

00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:30.220
 heard in

00:18:30.220 --> 00:18:30.640
 songs,

00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:31.380
 we've had

00:18:31.380 --> 00:18:31.840
 it with

00:18:31.840 --> 00:18:32.160
 bumper

00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:32.700
 stickers,

00:18:33.579 --> 00:18:34.000
 there'll be

00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:34.620
 wallpapers

00:18:34.620 --> 00:18:35.299
 about it,

00:18:35.360 --> 00:18:36.019
 it's a very

00:18:36.019 --> 00:18:36.900
 Christianese

00:18:36.900 --> 00:18:37.299
 word,

00:18:38.059 --> 00:18:39.880
 if I may,

00:18:40.380 --> 00:18:41.559
 and the

00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:42.480
 translation

00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:43.720
 just reads

00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:44.220
 that's

00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:45.100
 chesed,

00:18:45.100 --> 00:18:45.860
 I know

00:18:45.860 --> 00:18:47.039
 my Hebrew

00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:47.660
 and Greek

00:18:47.660 --> 00:18:48.019
 is not

00:18:48.019 --> 00:18:48.700
 close to

00:18:48.700 --> 00:18:49.039
 Nils,

00:18:49.579 --> 00:18:50.500
 but the

00:18:50.500 --> 00:18:51.039
 translation

00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:51.940
 basically means

00:18:51.940 --> 00:18:52.980
 God is

00:18:52.980 --> 00:18:54.360
 committed to

00:18:54.360 --> 00:18:54.759
 the people

00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:55.220
 of Israel,

00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:55.640
 there's a

00:18:55.640 --> 00:18:56.400
 covenant that

00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:57.880
 doesn't change

00:18:57.880 --> 00:18:59.600
 irrespective of

00:18:59.600 --> 00:19:00.180
 Israel's

00:19:00.180 --> 00:19:00.519
 rebellion.

00:19:01.019 --> 00:19:01.420
 Thankfully,

00:19:02.220 --> 00:19:02.559
 Nils

00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:03.259
 established

00:19:03.259 --> 00:19:04.519
 what this

00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:04.940
 means

00:19:04.940 --> 00:19:07.279
 last week

00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:07.920
 when we

00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:08.339
 considered

00:19:08.339 --> 00:19:09.400
 Psalms 8-9,

00:19:09.400 --> 00:19:10.759
 but when

00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:11.160
 we think

00:19:11.160 --> 00:19:11.700
 of the

00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:12.100
 character

00:19:12.100 --> 00:19:12.700
 of God,

00:19:13.340 --> 00:19:15.400
 we might

00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:15.920
 want to

00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:16.660
 assume that

00:19:16.660 --> 00:19:17.180
 it is

00:19:17.180 --> 00:19:18.259
 very distinct,

00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:19.000
 it is

00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:19.480
 separate.

00:19:19.800 --> 00:19:20.240
 We would

00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:21.340
 consider it

00:19:21.340 --> 00:19:21.720
 to be like

00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:22.380
 a pie of

00:19:22.380 --> 00:19:23.220
 pizza or

00:19:23.220 --> 00:19:24.759
 a pumpkin

00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:25.180
 pie,

00:19:25.900 --> 00:19:26.280
 where you'd

00:19:26.280 --> 00:19:28.300
 have a

00:19:28.300 --> 00:19:28.840
 slice of

00:19:28.840 --> 00:19:29.140
 God's

00:19:29.140 --> 00:19:29.519
 goodness,

00:19:30.120 --> 00:19:30.519
 a slice

00:19:30.519 --> 00:19:31.000
 of His

00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:31.840
 mercy,

00:19:32.060 --> 00:19:32.420
 a slice

00:19:32.420 --> 00:19:33.200
 of justice,

00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:34.100
 a slice

00:19:34.100 --> 00:19:34.720
 of love,

00:19:34.860 --> 00:19:35.259
 a slice

00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:36.120
 of patience,

00:19:36.820 --> 00:19:37.500
 and any

00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:37.840
 sort of

00:19:37.840 --> 00:19:38.300
 excellence

00:19:38.300 --> 00:19:38.620
 that we

00:19:38.620 --> 00:19:39.160
 might ascribe

00:19:39.160 --> 00:19:39.640
 to Him.

00:19:40.580 --> 00:19:41.340
 But the

00:19:41.340 --> 00:19:42.040
 character of

00:19:42.040 --> 00:19:42.420
 God is

00:19:42.420 --> 00:19:43.000
 not the

00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:43.620
 characteristics

00:19:43.620 --> 00:19:44.160
 of God.

00:19:44.820 --> 00:19:45.300
 The character

00:19:45.300 --> 00:19:46.140
 of God is

00:19:46.140 --> 00:19:47.160
 the character

00:19:47.160 --> 00:19:47.640
 of God.

00:19:47.740 --> 00:19:47.960
 It is

00:19:47.960 --> 00:19:48.440
 absolute.

00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:49.940
 There is

00:19:49.940 --> 00:19:51.060
 no fraction,

00:19:51.320 --> 00:19:51.759
 it is in

00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:52.259
 complete

00:19:52.259 --> 00:19:52.820
 measure.

00:19:54.460 --> 00:19:55.300
 The character

00:19:55.300 --> 00:19:55.860
 of God

00:19:55.860 --> 00:19:56.980
 is God

00:19:56.980 --> 00:19:57.300
 by

00:19:57.300 --> 00:19:58.580
 Himself-ness.

00:19:58.800 --> 00:19:59.060
 It is

00:19:59.060 --> 00:19:59.580
 who God

00:19:59.580 --> 00:20:00.040
 is.

00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:01.460
 If by

00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:02.060
 any chance

00:20:02.060 --> 00:20:02.480
 we take

00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:03.200
 away the

00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:04.040
 steadfastness

00:20:04.040 --> 00:20:04.580
 of God

00:20:04.580 --> 00:20:06.180
 or His

00:20:06.180 --> 00:20:06.560
 confident

00:20:06.560 --> 00:20:07.060
 commitment

00:20:07.060 --> 00:20:07.620
 of God,

00:20:07.619 --> 00:20:08.799
 then we

00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:09.000
 have

00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:09.419
 ripped Him

00:20:09.419 --> 00:20:09.799
 off of

00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:09.959
 His

00:20:09.959 --> 00:20:10.519
 excellence.

00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:12.939
 Thus,

00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:13.379
 He can

00:20:13.379 --> 00:20:13.959
 be trusted.

00:20:15.339 --> 00:20:16.239
 If God

00:20:16.239 --> 00:20:16.979
 cannot be

00:20:16.979 --> 00:20:17.419
 trusted,

00:20:17.619 --> 00:20:18.359
 then He

00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:18.879
 is no

00:20:18.879 --> 00:20:19.219
 longer

00:20:19.219 --> 00:20:19.639
 just.

00:20:20.779 --> 00:20:21.919
 If God

00:20:21.919 --> 00:20:22.279
 is no

00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:22.599
 longer

00:20:22.599 --> 00:20:23.059
 just,

00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:24.139
 then He

00:20:24.139 --> 00:20:24.759
 can occupy

00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:25.219
 the place

00:20:25.219 --> 00:20:25.679
 as God.

00:20:27.419 --> 00:20:28.099
 But because

00:20:28.099 --> 00:20:28.439
 He is

00:20:28.439 --> 00:20:29.139
 steadfast or

00:20:29.139 --> 00:20:30.119
 because He

00:20:30.119 --> 00:20:30.719
 has His

00:20:30.719 --> 00:20:31.119
 confident

00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:31.599
 commitment

00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:32.399
 towards us,

00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:34.539
 then that

00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:35.139
 is what makes

00:20:35.139 --> 00:20:35.679
 Him holy,

00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:37.180
 different,

00:20:37.340 --> 00:20:37.940
 distinct from

00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:38.460
 any other

00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:39.200
 deity or

00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:39.660
 any other

00:20:39.660 --> 00:20:40.400
 celestial being

00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:40.720
 that we

00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:41.220
 can think

00:20:41.220 --> 00:20:41.519
 of.

00:20:42.140 --> 00:20:42.700
 It is the

00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:43.480
 steadfastness

00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:44.640
 of God's

00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:45.400
 character that

00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:45.840
 makes Him

00:20:45.840 --> 00:20:46.900
 loving or

00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:47.880
 just or

00:20:47.880 --> 00:20:49.200
 kind or

00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:49.700
 any other

00:20:49.700 --> 00:20:50.440
 excellence we

00:20:50.440 --> 00:20:51.200
 can ascribe to

00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:51.440
 Him.

00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:51.900
 It's all

00:20:51.900 --> 00:20:52.660
 intertwined.

00:20:53.160 --> 00:20:53.759
 There are no

00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:55.039
 singularity.

00:20:55.299 --> 00:20:56.160
 It's absolute

00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:56.700
 together.

00:20:57.720 --> 00:20:58.279
 So because

00:20:58.279 --> 00:20:59.799
 since God is

00:20:59.799 --> 00:21:00.519
 committed to

00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:01.100
 us, does that

00:21:01.100 --> 00:21:01.720
 mean that we

00:21:01.720 --> 00:21:02.060
 would be

00:21:02.060 --> 00:21:02.420
 reckless?

00:21:03.080 --> 00:21:03.640
 Absolutely

00:21:03.640 --> 00:21:04.100
 not.

00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:05.700
 I do not

00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:06.120
 think so.

00:21:07.140 --> 00:21:07.600
 But if we

00:21:07.600 --> 00:21:08.240
 choose to be

00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:10.279
 reckless, it

00:21:10.279 --> 00:21:10.980
 only means that

00:21:10.980 --> 00:21:11.680
 maybe we

00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:12.420
 haven't fully

00:21:12.420 --> 00:21:13.580
 understood the

00:21:13.580 --> 00:21:14.200
 character of

00:21:14.200 --> 00:21:14.519
 God.

00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:15.880
 If we

00:21:15.880 --> 00:21:16.460
 choose to be

00:21:16.460 --> 00:21:17.019
 reckless, we

00:21:17.019 --> 00:21:17.539
 would surely

00:21:17.539 --> 00:21:18.100
 bear the

00:21:18.100 --> 00:21:18.800
 fruits of our

00:21:18.800 --> 00:21:19.220
 actions.

00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:20.620
 And just

00:21:20.620 --> 00:21:21.640
 like this

00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:22.120
 text has

00:21:22.120 --> 00:21:23.039
 showed us in

00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:25.039
 verse 4 to

00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:26.140
 5, the

00:21:26.140 --> 00:21:26.720
 people who

00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:27.340
 wandered in

00:21:27.340 --> 00:21:28.000
 desert west,

00:21:28.120 --> 00:21:29.060
 finding no way

00:21:29.060 --> 00:21:29.900
 to a city to

00:21:29.900 --> 00:21:30.380
 dwell in,

00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:31.360
 hungry and

00:21:31.360 --> 00:21:32.100
 thirsty, and

00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:32.519
 their soul

00:21:32.519 --> 00:21:33.359
 fainted within

00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:34.199
 them, it

00:21:34.199 --> 00:21:34.759
 was because of

00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:35.219
 their reckless

00:21:35.219 --> 00:21:35.980
 actions or

00:21:35.980 --> 00:21:36.579
 their choices,

00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:38.159
 they indeed

00:21:38.159 --> 00:21:38.959
 bore the

00:21:38.959 --> 00:21:40.000
 repercussions of

00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:40.740
 the poor

00:21:40.740 --> 00:21:41.359
 choices they

00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:41.599
 made.

00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:44.039
 But when we

00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:45.539
 understand or

00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:46.359
 embrace the

00:21:46.359 --> 00:21:48.039
 reality of

00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:48.879
 who God is

00:21:48.879 --> 00:21:49.899
 or how He

00:21:49.899 --> 00:21:51.199
 is committed

00:21:51.199 --> 00:21:51.959
 to us,

00:21:52.740 --> 00:21:53.659
 because He

00:21:53.659 --> 00:21:54.319
 loves us,

00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:55.639
 He should

00:21:55.639 --> 00:21:56.339
 drive us to

00:21:56.339 --> 00:21:56.619
 worship.

00:21:57.819 --> 00:21:58.359
 Shouldn't He

00:21:58.359 --> 00:21:58.980
 drive us to

00:21:58.980 --> 00:21:59.219
 worship?

00:21:59.220 --> 00:22:02.660
 shouldn't the

00:22:02.660 --> 00:22:03.339
 excellent of

00:22:03.339 --> 00:22:04.440
 God drive us

00:22:04.440 --> 00:22:04.839
 to worship?

00:22:06.360 --> 00:22:07.160
 Because how

00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:07.500
 can an

00:22:07.500 --> 00:22:08.240
 excellent God

00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:08.720
 be committed

00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:09.460
 to us even

00:22:09.460 --> 00:22:09.920
 when we

00:22:09.920 --> 00:22:11.519
 rebel, if

00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:12.019
 it is in

00:22:12.019 --> 00:22:12.259
 love?

00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:14.980
 Just like the

00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:15.500
 children of

00:22:15.500 --> 00:22:16.240
 Israel, church,

00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:17.039
 I believe we

00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:18.660
 have wandered

00:22:18.660 --> 00:22:19.360
 the desert

00:22:19.360 --> 00:22:19.920
 waste of

00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:21.460
 life, looking

00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:22.279
 for rest for

00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:22.819
 our souls.

00:22:23.900 --> 00:22:24.400
 Haven't we

00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:24.920
 sought in

00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:25.680
 darkness or the

00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:26.220
 shadow of

00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:27.100
 death, becoming

00:22:27.100 --> 00:22:27.920
 prisoners in

00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:29.560
 affliction, under

00:22:29.560 --> 00:22:30.180
 the irons of

00:22:30.180 --> 00:22:30.500
 our own

00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:30.880
 addiction?

00:22:31.320 --> 00:22:31.840
 Haven't we

00:22:31.840 --> 00:22:33.539
 foolishly, through

00:22:33.539 --> 00:22:34.360
 our own sinful

00:22:34.360 --> 00:22:35.080
 ways, suffered

00:22:35.080 --> 00:22:36.660
 repercussions in

00:22:36.660 --> 00:22:38.039
 our bodies and

00:22:38.039 --> 00:22:38.680
 in our souls?

00:22:39.740 --> 00:22:40.620
 Haven't we, like

00:22:40.620 --> 00:22:43.700
 Jonah, fled and

00:22:43.700 --> 00:22:44.840
 as a result of

00:22:44.840 --> 00:22:45.960
 our disobedience,

00:22:46.160 --> 00:22:47.140
 experienced the

00:22:47.140 --> 00:22:48.019
 wonders of God?

00:22:50.300 --> 00:22:51.400
 Even in the

00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:52.060
 state of our

00:22:52.060 --> 00:22:52.920
 rebellion, God

00:22:52.920 --> 00:22:54.120
 is still committed

00:22:54.120 --> 00:22:54.680
 to us.

00:22:55.100 --> 00:22:55.800
 God still

00:22:55.800 --> 00:22:56.500
 shows us

00:22:56.500 --> 00:22:57.180
 mercy and

00:22:57.180 --> 00:22:57.700
 brings us

00:22:57.700 --> 00:22:58.120
 redemption

00:22:58.120 --> 00:22:58.940
 through Jesus.

00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:01.080
 Shouldn't that

00:23:01.080 --> 00:23:01.880
 drive us to

00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:02.180
 worship?

00:23:03.340 --> 00:23:03.980
 Shouldn't his

00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:05.000
 goodness lead us

00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:05.660
 to repentance?

00:23:07.700 --> 00:23:08.180
 That in

00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:09.220
 looking back, just

00:23:09.220 --> 00:23:09.900
 like the author

00:23:09.900 --> 00:23:10.779
 reflecting over

00:23:10.779 --> 00:23:12.200
 the history of

00:23:12.200 --> 00:23:12.940
 Israel and

00:23:12.940 --> 00:23:14.200
 the actions,

00:23:15.960 --> 00:23:16.340
 that we

00:23:16.340 --> 00:23:16.880
 see the

00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:17.519
 consistent

00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:19.340
 commitment of

00:23:19.340 --> 00:23:20.000
 God in

00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:20.860
 loving us,

00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:22.200
 in redeeming

00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:23.759
 us, despite

00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:24.560
 when we

00:23:24.560 --> 00:23:24.920
 rebel.

00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:26.160
 God

00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:26.519
 and in

00:23:26.519 --> 00:23:27.060
 doing so,

00:23:27.140 --> 00:23:27.440
 that we

00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:27.880
 be driven

00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:28.519
 to worship

00:23:28.519 --> 00:23:30.220
 the God

00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:32.720
 of Israel

00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:33.340
 and bust

00:23:33.340 --> 00:23:33.740
 out with

00:23:33.740 --> 00:23:34.320
 thanksgiving,

00:23:34.460 --> 00:23:35.019
 just like the

00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:35.440
 introductory

00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:35.900
 verses.

00:23:36.340 --> 00:23:36.720
 Oh, give

00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:37.580
 thanks to the

00:23:37.580 --> 00:23:38.220
 Lord, for he

00:23:38.220 --> 00:23:39.460
 is good, for

00:23:39.460 --> 00:23:40.440
 his steadfast love

00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:41.400
 endures forever.

00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:42.360
 Let the

00:23:42.360 --> 00:23:43.180
 redeemed of the

00:23:43.180 --> 00:23:44.140
 Lord say so,

00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:45.519
 whom he has

00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:46.140
 redeemed from

00:23:46.140 --> 00:23:46.539
 trouble.

00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:46.599
 trouble.

00:23:47.819 --> 00:23:48.859
 I believe God

00:23:48.859 --> 00:23:49.759
 has indeed

00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:50.379
 redeemed us

00:23:50.379 --> 00:23:50.920
 from trouble

00:23:50.920 --> 00:23:51.779
 and gathered

00:23:51.779 --> 00:23:52.500
 us in this

00:23:52.500 --> 00:23:53.480
 beautiful city

00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:54.259
 of Hong Kong

00:23:54.259 --> 00:23:56.059
 this Sunday

00:23:56.059 --> 00:23:56.440
 morning.

00:23:57.980 --> 00:23:58.899
 And when we

00:23:58.899 --> 00:23:59.819
 reflect on that,

00:23:59.899 --> 00:24:00.500
 I believe it

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:01.159
 should drive us

00:24:01.159 --> 00:24:01.619
 to worship.

00:24:02.879 --> 00:24:03.339
 It should

00:24:03.339 --> 00:24:04.240
 drive us to

00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:06.359
 give thanks

00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:06.920
 and not to

00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:08.799
 be static

00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:09.559
 or stoic.

00:24:09.559 --> 00:24:12.799
 The writer

00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:13.379
 reflection

00:24:13.379 --> 00:24:14.799
 points us to

00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:15.519
 two things.

00:24:16.399 --> 00:24:17.379
 That when we

00:24:17.379 --> 00:24:18.139
 consider all

00:24:18.139 --> 00:24:18.720
 Christ has

00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:19.379
 done, that we

00:24:19.379 --> 00:24:19.980
 would surely

00:24:19.980 --> 00:24:20.940
 attest to the

00:24:20.940 --> 00:24:21.659
 faithfulness of

00:24:21.659 --> 00:24:21.980
 God.

00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:23.759
 Because to be

00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:24.319
 honest, we

00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:25.179
 forget too

00:24:25.179 --> 00:24:25.679
 easily.

00:24:27.019 --> 00:24:28.079
 We forget

00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:29.279
 how much

00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:30.859
 redeeming

00:24:30.859 --> 00:24:32.059
 God is

00:24:32.059 --> 00:24:32.720
 towards us.

00:24:33.059 --> 00:24:33.500
 We forget

00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:34.179
 too easily

00:24:34.179 --> 00:24:35.019
 because most

00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:35.720
 times we are

00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:36.779
 just narrowed

00:24:36.779 --> 00:24:37.460
 down to how

00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:38.200
 we want things

00:24:38.200 --> 00:24:39.039
 to go or how

00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:39.379
 we want

00:24:39.380 --> 00:24:39.840
 things to

00:24:39.840 --> 00:24:40.480
 pan out.

00:24:41.760 --> 00:24:42.220
 And secondly,

00:24:42.340 --> 00:24:42.740
 the writer

00:24:42.740 --> 00:24:43.660
 writes in

00:24:43.660 --> 00:24:44.420
 reflection of

00:24:44.420 --> 00:24:45.700
 the people

00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:46.220
 of Israel

00:24:46.220 --> 00:24:46.580
 and their

00:24:46.580 --> 00:24:47.780
 past, hoping

00:24:47.780 --> 00:24:48.640
 to point us

00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:49.960
 to the

00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:50.640
 future that

00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:51.300
 is ahead of

00:24:51.300 --> 00:24:51.600
 us.

00:24:52.520 --> 00:24:53.600
 Which leads

00:24:53.600 --> 00:24:54.100
 us to the

00:24:54.100 --> 00:24:54.800
 second part,

00:24:55.380 --> 00:24:55.780
 God's

00:24:55.780 --> 00:24:56.400
 covenant

00:24:56.400 --> 00:24:57.380
 commitment to

00:24:57.380 --> 00:24:58.060
 us for the

00:24:58.060 --> 00:24:58.420
 future.

00:25:00.220 --> 00:25:00.820
 On the

00:25:00.820 --> 00:25:01.340
 second part,

00:25:01.420 --> 00:25:01.760
 it starts

00:25:01.760 --> 00:25:02.620
 from verses

00:25:02.620 --> 00:25:04.080
 33 to

00:25:04.080 --> 00:25:04.800
 43.

00:25:05.320 --> 00:25:05.800
 Still on

00:25:05.800 --> 00:25:06.320
 the context

00:25:06.320 --> 00:25:06.840
 of the people

00:25:06.840 --> 00:25:07.320
 of Israel,

00:25:07.820 --> 00:25:08.600
 it's almost

00:25:08.599 --> 00:25:09.079
 even

00:25:09.079 --> 00:25:09.599
 repeating

00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:10.980
 because he

00:25:10.980 --> 00:25:11.500
 repeats the

00:25:11.500 --> 00:25:12.099
 same thing

00:25:12.099 --> 00:25:14.259
 about the

00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:14.679
 people of

00:25:14.679 --> 00:25:15.740
 Israel leaving

00:25:15.740 --> 00:25:16.500
 exile and

00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:17.159
 returning back

00:25:17.159 --> 00:25:17.919
 again or

00:25:17.919 --> 00:25:20.019
 them walking

00:25:20.019 --> 00:25:20.639
 in rebellion

00:25:20.639 --> 00:25:21.159
 and God

00:25:21.159 --> 00:25:21.779
 showing them

00:25:21.779 --> 00:25:22.219
 redemption.

00:25:23.219 --> 00:25:23.919
 But this

00:25:23.919 --> 00:25:24.559
 time, rather

00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:25.079
 than telling

00:25:25.079 --> 00:25:26.039
 four stories,

00:25:26.500 --> 00:25:27.699
 he borrows a

00:25:27.699 --> 00:25:28.480
 very poetic

00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:29.639
 style from the

00:25:29.639 --> 00:25:30.719
 books of the

00:25:30.719 --> 00:25:31.099
 prophets.

00:25:32.059 --> 00:25:32.919
 And there's that

00:25:32.919 --> 00:25:33.699
 juxtaposition

00:25:33.699 --> 00:25:34.799
 between what

00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:35.859
 God does that

00:25:35.859 --> 00:25:36.219
 is almost

00:25:36.219 --> 00:25:36.779
 impossible,

00:25:37.099 --> 00:25:37.779
 like bringing

00:25:37.779 --> 00:25:38.740
 desert to a

00:25:38.740 --> 00:25:39.359
 fruitful place

00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:40.479
 or a fruitful

00:25:40.479 --> 00:25:41.339
 place becoming

00:25:41.339 --> 00:25:41.879
 a desert.

00:25:43.099 --> 00:25:43.959
 If we read

00:25:43.959 --> 00:25:44.819
 from verse

00:25:44.819 --> 00:25:45.959
 33 to

00:25:45.959 --> 00:25:46.979
 38,

00:25:47.179 --> 00:25:47.679
 he turns

00:25:47.679 --> 00:25:48.439
 rivers into

00:25:48.439 --> 00:25:48.959
 a desert,

00:25:49.419 --> 00:25:49.979
 springs of

00:25:49.979 --> 00:25:50.740
 water into

00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:51.619
 thirsty ground,

00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:52.419
 a fruitful

00:25:52.419 --> 00:25:53.359
 land into

00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:54.319
 salty waste,

00:25:54.679 --> 00:25:55.479
 because of the

00:25:55.479 --> 00:25:56.099
 evil of its

00:25:56.099 --> 00:25:56.599
 inhabitants.

00:25:57.539 --> 00:25:57.979
 He turns

00:25:57.979 --> 00:25:58.679
 a desert into

00:25:58.679 --> 00:25:59.159
 pool of

00:25:59.159 --> 00:25:59.579
 water,

00:25:59.959 --> 00:26:00.659
 a patched

00:26:00.659 --> 00:26:01.219
 land into

00:26:01.219 --> 00:26:01.979
 springs of

00:26:01.979 --> 00:26:02.319
 water,

00:26:02.699 --> 00:26:03.219
 and there he

00:26:03.219 --> 00:26:03.719
 lets the

00:26:03.719 --> 00:26:04.439
 hungry dwell.

00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:05.440
 He establishes

00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:06.039
 a city for

00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:06.440
 them to

00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:06.860
 live in.

00:26:07.240 --> 00:26:07.660
 They sow

00:26:07.660 --> 00:26:08.740
 fields and

00:26:08.740 --> 00:26:09.580
 plant vineyards

00:26:09.580 --> 00:26:10.080
 and get a

00:26:10.080 --> 00:26:11.100
 fruitful yield,

00:26:11.600 --> 00:26:12.000
 but his

00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:12.600
 blessing they

00:26:12.600 --> 00:26:13.480
 multiply greatly

00:26:13.480 --> 00:26:14.400
 and he does

00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:15.360
 not let their

00:26:15.360 --> 00:26:16.220
 livestock diminish.

00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:17.180
 If we

00:26:17.180 --> 00:26:17.799
 consider the

00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:18.279
 people of

00:26:18.279 --> 00:26:18.559
 Israel,

00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:19.220
 it relates

00:26:19.220 --> 00:26:20.000
 so much

00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:20.500
 to them,

00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:21.660
 because before

00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:22.200
 the people

00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:22.799
 of Israel

00:26:22.799 --> 00:26:24.080
 inhabited

00:26:24.080 --> 00:26:24.680
 Canaan,

00:26:24.920 --> 00:26:25.360
 there were

00:26:25.360 --> 00:26:26.400
 the Amorites.

00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:27.580
 The Amorites

00:26:27.580 --> 00:26:28.420
 were this

00:26:28.420 --> 00:26:29.840
 pagan nation

00:26:29.840 --> 00:26:30.680
 that were

00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:32.360
 the original

00:26:32.360 --> 00:26:33.279
 inhabitants of

00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:33.620
 Canaan.

00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:35.820
 God spoke

00:26:35.820 --> 00:26:36.380
 to Abraham

00:26:36.380 --> 00:26:37.400
 in Genesis

00:26:37.400 --> 00:26:38.039
 15,

00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:39.059
 telling him

00:26:39.059 --> 00:26:40.200
 that your

00:26:40.200 --> 00:26:40.640
 people would

00:26:40.640 --> 00:26:41.019
 go through

00:26:41.019 --> 00:26:41.880
 slavery in

00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:42.299
 Egypt,

00:26:42.700 --> 00:26:43.240
 but 400

00:26:43.240 --> 00:26:43.920
 years later

00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:44.220
 they would

00:26:44.220 --> 00:26:44.820
 come back

00:26:44.820 --> 00:26:46.600
 and dwell in

00:26:46.600 --> 00:26:47.200
 this land

00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:48.160
 because the

00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:49.140
 inhabitants of

00:26:49.140 --> 00:26:49.779
 this land,

00:26:50.259 --> 00:26:50.900
 their wickedness

00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:51.340
 had not,

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:53.720
 their wickedness

00:26:53.720 --> 00:26:54.940
 is not yet

00:26:54.940 --> 00:26:55.279
 full,

00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:56.259
 or my justice

00:26:56.259 --> 00:26:57.240
 hasn't gotten

00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:57.940
 to them yet.

00:26:59.200 --> 00:26:59.680
 A similar

00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:00.299
 reference is

00:27:00.299 --> 00:27:01.100
 also with the

00:27:01.100 --> 00:27:01.960
 destruction of

00:27:01.960 --> 00:27:02.880
 Sodom and

00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:03.220
 Gomorrah,

00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:04.079
 this fruitful

00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:05.299
 city that

00:27:05.299 --> 00:27:06.779
 became completely

00:27:06.779 --> 00:27:07.680
 ruined because

00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:08.360
 of the evil

00:27:08.360 --> 00:27:08.720
 of the

00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:09.140
 inhabitants.

00:27:09.660 --> 00:27:09.860
 And we

00:27:09.860 --> 00:27:10.279
 see that

00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:11.480
 God's covenant

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:12.259
 commitment is

00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:12.960
 not just only

00:27:12.960 --> 00:27:13.640
 in bringing

00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:15.299
 fruitfulness of

00:27:15.299 --> 00:27:15.680
 blessing,

00:27:15.880 --> 00:27:16.440
 but it's also

00:27:16.440 --> 00:27:17.319
 in justice.

00:27:17.920 --> 00:27:18.620
 It's also in

00:27:18.620 --> 00:27:19.319
 bringing justice

00:27:19.319 --> 00:27:20.339
 to the evil

00:27:20.339 --> 00:27:21.019
 of the land.

00:27:23.299 --> 00:27:23.920
 But the

00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:24.500
 writer doesn't

00:27:24.500 --> 00:27:25.200
 end yet on

00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:25.839
 the history of

00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:27.319
 Israel because

00:27:27.319 --> 00:27:30.539
 Canaan as we

00:27:30.539 --> 00:27:31.000
 know it,

00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:32.019
 which was a

00:27:32.019 --> 00:27:32.740
 desert place,

00:27:33.740 --> 00:27:35.259
 suddenly becomes

00:27:35.259 --> 00:27:36.200
 this fruitful

00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:36.640
 land.

00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:38.339
 It wasn't

00:27:38.339 --> 00:27:38.960
 because of the

00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:39.519
 agricultural

00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:41.339
 practices of

00:27:41.339 --> 00:27:41.640
 Israel.

00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:42.940
 It's not

00:27:42.940 --> 00:27:43.339
 because they

00:27:43.339 --> 00:27:43.859
 had the best

00:27:43.859 --> 00:27:44.779
 technology either.

00:27:45.539 --> 00:27:46.039
 The reason

00:27:46.039 --> 00:27:46.740
 why Canaan

00:27:46.740 --> 00:27:47.640
 became fruitful

00:27:47.640 --> 00:27:49.299
 was because of

00:27:49.299 --> 00:27:50.019
 God's covenant

00:27:50.019 --> 00:27:50.500
 commitment.

00:27:51.099 --> 00:27:51.839
 It was God's

00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:52.579
 covenant commitment

00:27:52.579 --> 00:27:53.460
 that took this

00:27:53.460 --> 00:27:54.940
 empty land that

00:27:54.940 --> 00:27:56.319
 is flat to

00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:57.019
 become fruitful.

00:27:57.740 --> 00:27:58.339
 It was that

00:27:58.339 --> 00:27:59.279
 miracle of God.

00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:02.200
 And almost

00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:02.779
 towards the

00:28:02.779 --> 00:28:03.440
 ending from

00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:05.399
 39 to 42,

00:28:05.639 --> 00:28:06.139
 we're introduced

00:28:06.139 --> 00:28:06.740
 to another

00:28:06.740 --> 00:28:07.420
 period of

00:28:07.420 --> 00:28:08.839
 Israel's history

00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:10.000
 when they also

00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:10.759
 rebelled against

00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:11.399
 God and God

00:28:11.399 --> 00:28:12.119
 brought justice

00:28:12.119 --> 00:28:12.559
 to them.

00:28:13.819 --> 00:28:14.619
 It reads,

00:28:14.740 --> 00:28:15.259
 when they were

00:28:15.259 --> 00:28:16.160
 diminished and

00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:17.339
 brought low

00:28:17.339 --> 00:28:18.460
 through oppression,

00:28:18.639 --> 00:28:19.579
 evil and sorrow,

00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:20.639
 he pours contempt

00:28:20.639 --> 00:28:21.899
 on princes and

00:28:21.899 --> 00:28:22.660
 make them wander

00:28:22.660 --> 00:28:23.359
 in trackless

00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:23.920
 wastes.

00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:24.940
 But he raises

00:28:24.940 --> 00:28:25.660
 up the needy

00:28:25.660 --> 00:28:26.279
 of affliction

00:28:26.279 --> 00:28:26.940
 and make their

00:28:26.940 --> 00:28:27.759
 families like

00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:28.160
 flocks,

00:28:28.160 --> 00:28:29.019
 your pride

00:28:29.019 --> 00:28:29.759
 see and are

00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:30.380
 glad and all

00:28:30.380 --> 00:28:30.900
 wickedness

00:28:30.900 --> 00:28:31.519
 shut his mouth.

00:28:32.519 --> 00:28:33.019
 We know

00:28:33.019 --> 00:28:33.800
 Israel's,

00:28:34.380 --> 00:28:35.259
 a key part of

00:28:35.259 --> 00:28:36.040
 Israel's

00:28:36.040 --> 00:28:37.200
 disobedience was

00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:37.840
 because they

00:28:37.840 --> 00:28:38.680
 chose to have

00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:39.180
 kings.

00:28:40.220 --> 00:28:41.180
 And because they

00:28:41.180 --> 00:28:41.800
 chose to have

00:28:41.800 --> 00:28:42.140
 kings,

00:28:42.259 --> 00:28:42.940
 the kings let

00:28:42.940 --> 00:28:43.700
 them astray

00:28:43.700 --> 00:28:45.680
 and they

00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:48.180
 started worshipping

00:28:48.180 --> 00:28:48.880
 other gods.

00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:50.600
 The choice to

00:28:50.600 --> 00:28:51.100
 have other

00:28:51.100 --> 00:28:52.660
 kings led

00:28:52.660 --> 00:28:53.540
 even to that

00:28:53.540 --> 00:28:54.220
 great oppression

00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:54.820
 and exile.

00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:56.400
 But in the

00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:57.200
 midst of all of

00:28:57.200 --> 00:28:58.680
 that, we

00:28:58.680 --> 00:28:59.480
 still see God's

00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:01.220
 hand redeeming

00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:02.440
 the people of

00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:02.819
 usual.

00:29:04.259 --> 00:29:04.819
 Why?

00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:06.900
 It's clear.

00:29:07.620 --> 00:29:07.920
 It's his

00:29:07.920 --> 00:29:08.180
 covenant

00:29:08.180 --> 00:29:08.660
 commitment.

00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:12.500
 In considering

00:29:12.500 --> 00:29:13.319
 the writer or

00:29:13.319 --> 00:29:13.860
 in looking at

00:29:13.860 --> 00:29:14.420
 the perspective

00:29:14.420 --> 00:29:15.059
 of the writer,

00:29:15.400 --> 00:29:16.120
 why does he

00:29:16.120 --> 00:29:16.660
 do this?

00:29:17.019 --> 00:29:17.660
 Why does he

00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:18.360
 go over the

00:29:18.360 --> 00:29:19.299
 same thing all

00:29:19.299 --> 00:29:20.019
 over again?

00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:21.960
 I believe as

00:29:21.960 --> 00:29:23.619
 the people

00:29:23.619 --> 00:29:24.139
 live in

00:29:24.139 --> 00:29:24.579
 exile,

00:29:25.900 --> 00:29:26.180
 they would

00:29:26.180 --> 00:29:28.460
 be shattered

00:29:28.460 --> 00:29:30.859
 with no

00:29:30.859 --> 00:29:31.220
 hope,

00:29:32.539 --> 00:29:32.900
 with no

00:29:32.900 --> 00:29:33.700
 certainty of

00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:34.240
 what's ahead

00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:34.599
 of them.

00:29:36.460 --> 00:29:36.720
 And as

00:29:36.720 --> 00:29:37.240
 covenant of

00:29:37.240 --> 00:29:37.619
 Israel,

00:29:37.879 --> 00:29:38.240
 I'm sure

00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:41.480
 they are aware

00:29:41.480 --> 00:29:42.079
 that Jerusalem

00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:42.940
 is in ruins.

00:29:43.180 --> 00:29:43.879
 There is no

00:29:43.879 --> 00:29:45.400
 certainty of

00:29:45.400 --> 00:29:47.180
 a house

00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:48.000
 or cattle

00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:49.059
 or food.

00:29:51.380 --> 00:29:52.019
 And the

00:29:52.019 --> 00:29:52.799
 writer reflects

00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:54.660
 in that past,

00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:55.519
 hoping that in

00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:56.460
 looking back,

00:29:57.960 --> 00:29:58.579
 the people of

00:29:58.579 --> 00:29:59.119
 Israel will

00:29:59.119 --> 00:29:59.720
 look forward

00:29:59.720 --> 00:30:00.420
 and remember

00:30:00.420 --> 00:30:01.279
 that it is

00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:01.779
 God who

00:30:01.779 --> 00:30:02.779
 made Canaan

00:30:02.779 --> 00:30:03.640
 what it is.

00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:05.680
 It is not

00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:06.980
 their best

00:30:06.980 --> 00:30:07.819
 practices that

00:30:07.819 --> 00:30:08.400
 made Canaan

00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:08.839
 fruitful.

00:30:09.960 --> 00:30:10.920
 It is God

00:30:10.920 --> 00:30:11.460
 who brought

00:30:11.460 --> 00:30:12.740
 the miracle of

00:30:12.740 --> 00:30:13.960
 desert land

00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:15.160
 becoming fruitful.

00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:15.240
 Israel.

00:30:16.660 --> 00:30:17.160
 The writer

00:30:17.160 --> 00:30:17.880
 also writes

00:30:17.880 --> 00:30:18.700
 in response

00:30:18.700 --> 00:30:20.160
 to remind

00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:20.560
 the people

00:30:20.560 --> 00:30:21.080
 of Israel

00:30:21.080 --> 00:30:22.140
 not to

00:30:22.140 --> 00:30:23.000
 repeat the

00:30:23.000 --> 00:30:23.540
 same thing

00:30:23.540 --> 00:30:23.880
 that the

00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:24.800
 past generation

00:30:24.800 --> 00:30:26.100
 made in

00:30:26.100 --> 00:30:26.620
 going in

00:30:26.620 --> 00:30:28.259
 rebellion and

00:30:28.259 --> 00:30:29.420
 idol worship,

00:30:30.759 --> 00:30:31.640
 hoping that

00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:32.160
 he would

00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:33.220
 encourage them

00:30:33.220 --> 00:30:34.700
 not to

00:30:34.700 --> 00:30:36.040
 forget

00:30:36.040 --> 00:30:37.259
 quickly the

00:30:37.259 --> 00:30:37.580
 covenant

00:30:37.580 --> 00:30:38.320
 commitment of

00:30:38.320 --> 00:30:39.960
 God and

00:30:39.960 --> 00:30:40.480
 to remember

00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:41.040
 that God

00:30:41.040 --> 00:30:41.640
 is indeed

00:30:41.640 --> 00:30:44.060
 faithful in

00:30:44.060 --> 00:30:44.620
 the past,

00:30:45.160 --> 00:30:45.560
 in the

00:30:45.560 --> 00:30:45.900
 present,

00:30:46.519 --> 00:30:46.960
 and even

00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:47.820
 in the

00:30:47.820 --> 00:30:48.440
 future that

00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:48.600
 they are

00:30:48.600 --> 00:30:49.279
 heading into,

00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:50.519
 that they

00:30:50.519 --> 00:30:50.960
 will see

00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:51.480
 through the

00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:52.040
 lens of

00:30:52.040 --> 00:30:52.680
 faith and

00:30:52.680 --> 00:30:53.259
 not through

00:30:53.259 --> 00:30:55.680
 despair and

00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:56.160
 trust in

00:30:56.160 --> 00:30:56.360
 God.

00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:58.120
 I know

00:30:58.120 --> 00:30:58.960
 someone in

00:30:58.960 --> 00:30:59.420
 the crowd

00:30:59.420 --> 00:31:00.279
 has already

00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:01.259
 started

00:31:01.259 --> 00:31:02.440
 yawning and

00:31:02.440 --> 00:31:03.220
 saying,

00:31:03.720 --> 00:31:04.140
 this is not

00:31:04.140 --> 00:31:04.600
 a history

00:31:04.600 --> 00:31:05.200
 class in

00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:05.400
 Sikan,

00:31:05.600 --> 00:31:05.940
 this is

00:31:05.940 --> 00:31:06.600
 2023,

00:31:07.540 --> 00:31:07.800
 there is

00:31:07.800 --> 00:31:08.360
 no business

00:31:08.360 --> 00:31:09.180
 between me

00:31:09.180 --> 00:31:10.519
 and Israel,

00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:11.120
 I am firing

00:31:11.120 --> 00:31:11.779
 Hong Kong.

00:31:11.779 --> 00:31:13.720
 but we

00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:14.539
 can attest

00:31:14.539 --> 00:31:15.579
 that though

00:31:15.579 --> 00:31:15.960
 that we

00:31:15.960 --> 00:31:16.379
 might not

00:31:16.379 --> 00:31:16.819
 have gone

00:31:16.819 --> 00:31:17.180
 through a

00:31:17.180 --> 00:31:17.539
 political

00:31:17.539 --> 00:31:18.059
 exile,

00:31:18.539 --> 00:31:18.960
 but we

00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:19.200
 are on

00:31:19.200 --> 00:31:19.619
 the journey

00:31:19.619 --> 00:31:20.299
 of life

00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:21.879
 and to

00:31:21.879 --> 00:31:22.359
 be honest,

00:31:22.579 --> 00:31:23.339
 each and

00:31:23.339 --> 00:31:23.619
 every one

00:31:23.619 --> 00:31:23.940
 of us

00:31:23.940 --> 00:31:24.619
 have questioned

00:31:24.619 --> 00:31:25.399
 what's ahead

00:31:25.399 --> 00:31:25.839
 of us.

00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:27.359
 We have

00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:27.740
 looked,

00:31:28.119 --> 00:31:29.039
 looking across

00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:29.619
 the crowd

00:31:29.619 --> 00:31:30.299
 and seeing

00:31:30.299 --> 00:31:31.519
 whether young

00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:32.180
 or old,

00:31:32.519 --> 00:31:32.879
 we have

00:31:32.879 --> 00:31:33.619
 considered that

00:31:33.619 --> 00:31:34.139
 question,

00:31:34.700 --> 00:31:35.220
 like what's

00:31:35.220 --> 00:31:35.599
 ahead,

00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:37.720
 be it when

00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:38.160
 you're just

00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:39.240
 graduating or

00:31:39.240 --> 00:31:39.700
 you're just

00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:40.639
 starting a new

00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:41.520
 role,

00:31:42.120 --> 00:31:42.400
 and you're

00:31:42.400 --> 00:31:43.000
 wondering in

00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:43.340
 the next

00:31:43.340 --> 00:31:43.780
 three,

00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:44.560
 four years,

00:31:44.620 --> 00:31:45.100
 what's ahead

00:31:45.100 --> 00:31:45.480
 of me?

00:31:46.360 --> 00:31:47.000
 And in most

00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:47.360
 cases,

00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:47.880
 when we

00:31:47.880 --> 00:31:48.620
 consider this

00:31:48.620 --> 00:31:49.120
 question,

00:31:49.740 --> 00:31:50.280
 we end up

00:31:50.280 --> 00:31:50.800
 in a rabbit

00:31:50.800 --> 00:31:51.640
 hole of

00:31:51.640 --> 00:31:52.680
 despair,

00:31:53.220 --> 00:31:54.020
 of anxiety,

00:31:54.259 --> 00:31:54.880
 of worry,

00:31:56.640 --> 00:31:57.880
 and the

00:31:57.880 --> 00:31:58.380
 writer in

00:31:58.380 --> 00:31:59.280
 response to

00:31:59.280 --> 00:32:00.280
 our own

00:32:00.280 --> 00:32:00.860
 situation

00:32:00.860 --> 00:32:03.240
 would be to

00:32:03.240 --> 00:32:03.860
 point us to

00:32:03.860 --> 00:32:04.300
 a better

00:32:04.300 --> 00:32:05.100
 reality,

00:32:06.300 --> 00:32:07.060
 point us to

00:32:07.060 --> 00:32:07.800
 remember that

00:32:07.800 --> 00:32:08.700
 God is indeed

00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:09.160
 faithful,

00:32:09.160 --> 00:32:09.220
 faithful,

00:32:10.140 --> 00:32:10.560
 and his

00:32:10.560 --> 00:32:10.980
 covenant

00:32:10.980 --> 00:32:11.460
 commitment

00:32:11.460 --> 00:32:12.000
 is not

00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:12.519
 just only

00:32:12.519 --> 00:32:13.340
 for the

00:32:13.340 --> 00:32:13.900
 times of

00:32:13.900 --> 00:32:14.500
 the old,

00:32:15.140 --> 00:32:15.460
 but it's

00:32:15.460 --> 00:32:15.920
 also for

00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:16.420
 the future

00:32:16.420 --> 00:32:16.860
 that is

00:32:16.860 --> 00:32:17.600
 ahead of

00:32:17.600 --> 00:32:17.960
 us that

00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:18.300
 we do

00:32:18.300 --> 00:32:18.740
 not know.

00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:21.880
 The

00:32:21.880 --> 00:32:22.320
 closest

00:32:22.320 --> 00:32:23.220
 historical,

00:32:23.640 --> 00:32:24.200
 how do I

00:32:24.200 --> 00:32:24.540
 know this

00:32:24.540 --> 00:32:24.880
 is true?

00:32:25.420 --> 00:32:25.960
 The closest

00:32:25.960 --> 00:32:26.660
 historical,

00:32:26.900 --> 00:32:27.779
 tangible facts

00:32:27.779 --> 00:32:28.240
 that we can

00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:28.900
 hold on to

00:32:28.900 --> 00:32:29.680
 is there

00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:30.060
 was this

00:32:30.060 --> 00:32:31.040
 man called

00:32:31.040 --> 00:32:31.680
 Jesus of

00:32:31.680 --> 00:32:32.240
 Nazareth,

00:32:32.740 --> 00:32:33.380
 this random

00:32:33.380 --> 00:32:33.820
 guy,

00:32:34.740 --> 00:32:35.300
 born in the

00:32:35.300 --> 00:32:35.920
 family of the

00:32:35.920 --> 00:32:36.440
 lineage of

00:32:36.440 --> 00:32:36.820
 David.

00:32:36.819 --> 00:32:37.980
 this man

00:32:37.980 --> 00:32:38.480
 died,

00:32:39.319 --> 00:32:39.899
 he rose

00:32:39.899 --> 00:32:44.480
 because of

00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:44.759
 God's

00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:45.039
 covenant

00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:45.519
 commitment.

00:32:47.700 --> 00:32:48.679
 The greatest

00:32:48.679 --> 00:32:49.279
 tangible

00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:50.159
 expression of

00:32:50.159 --> 00:32:50.480
 God's

00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:50.779
 covenant

00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:51.240
 commitment

00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:52.419
 is in

00:32:52.419 --> 00:32:53.220
 the presence

00:32:53.220 --> 00:32:53.819
 of Jesus

00:32:53.819 --> 00:32:55.119
 because he

00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:56.579
 speaks of

00:32:56.579 --> 00:32:58.179
 a greater

00:32:58.179 --> 00:32:58.740
 redemption,

00:32:59.619 --> 00:32:59.960
 a greater

00:32:59.960 --> 00:33:00.519
 provision,

00:33:00.679 --> 00:33:01.259
 a security

00:33:01.259 --> 00:33:01.919
 that we

00:33:01.919 --> 00:33:02.399
 would have

00:33:02.399 --> 00:33:02.919
 not just

00:33:02.919 --> 00:33:03.339
 for our

00:33:03.339 --> 00:33:03.679
 bodies,

00:33:03.859 --> 00:33:05.019
 but ultimately

00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:05.519
 for our

00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:05.879
 souls.

00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:07.259
 And this

00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:07.579
 is what

00:33:07.579 --> 00:33:08.059
 we must

00:33:08.059 --> 00:33:08.579
 consider.

00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:10.639
 Even in

00:33:10.639 --> 00:33:11.720
 looking forward

00:33:11.720 --> 00:33:12.500
 in what's

00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:12.960
 ahead of

00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:13.240
 us,

00:33:13.899 --> 00:33:14.379
 we can

00:33:14.379 --> 00:33:15.119
 also reflect

00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:15.519
 and look

00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:16.039
 back and

00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:16.480
 see that

00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:17.579
 in the

00:33:17.579 --> 00:33:19.139
 timeline of

00:33:19.139 --> 00:33:20.200
 historical

00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:20.720
 events,

00:33:20.839 --> 00:33:21.039
 there was

00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:21.480
 this man

00:33:21.480 --> 00:33:21.859
 Jesus,

00:33:22.539 --> 00:33:23.200
 and he

00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:23.559
 is the

00:33:23.559 --> 00:33:24.179
 most tangible

00:33:24.179 --> 00:33:24.759
 expression

00:33:24.759 --> 00:33:25.159
 that we

00:33:25.159 --> 00:33:25.599
 can hold

00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:25.960
 on to.

00:33:27.419 --> 00:33:27.839
 And we

00:33:27.839 --> 00:33:28.159
 wouldn't,

00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:29.019
 by God's

00:33:29.019 --> 00:33:29.259
 grace,

00:33:29.379 --> 00:33:29.939
 not longer

00:33:29.939 --> 00:33:30.700
 look into

00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:31.259
 the future

00:33:31.259 --> 00:33:32.460
 with despair,

00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:33.819
 anxiety,

00:33:34.519 --> 00:33:34.980
 would know

00:33:34.980 --> 00:33:35.440
 that God

00:33:35.440 --> 00:33:36.059
 is faithful

00:33:36.059 --> 00:33:37.000
 and he

00:33:37.000 --> 00:33:37.460
 is good

00:33:37.460 --> 00:33:39.640
 because he

00:33:39.640 --> 00:33:40.299
 brought Christ

00:33:40.299 --> 00:33:42.240
 from the

00:33:42.240 --> 00:33:42.519
 dead,

00:33:42.920 --> 00:33:43.519
 and even

00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:44.140
 more because

00:33:44.140 --> 00:33:44.700
 Christ was

00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:45.620
 even faithful

00:33:45.620 --> 00:33:47.039
 to the

00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:47.360
 cross.

00:33:49.660 --> 00:33:50.420
 Now that

00:33:50.420 --> 00:33:50.980
 we have

00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:51.660
 sort of

00:33:51.660 --> 00:33:52.680
 learned

00:33:52.680 --> 00:33:54.559
 about this,

00:33:55.140 --> 00:33:55.660
 how do

00:33:55.660 --> 00:33:56.980
 we respond?

00:33:58.259 --> 00:33:58.819
 To be

00:33:58.819 --> 00:33:59.000
 fair,

00:33:59.099 --> 00:33:59.819
 when I

00:33:59.819 --> 00:34:00.880
 studied the

00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:01.160
 psalm,

00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:02.599
 and knowing

00:34:02.599 --> 00:34:03.139
 that this

00:34:03.139 --> 00:34:03.399
 is what

00:34:03.399 --> 00:34:03.740
 the psalm

00:34:03.740 --> 00:34:04.240
 is saying,

00:34:04.339 --> 00:34:04.639
 the psalm

00:34:04.639 --> 00:34:05.019
 is saying

00:34:05.019 --> 00:34:05.359
 God's

00:34:05.359 --> 00:34:05.599
 covenant

00:34:05.599 --> 00:34:06.039
 commitment

00:34:06.039 --> 00:34:06.859
 is unchanging,

00:34:08.179 --> 00:34:10.759
 and I

00:34:10.759 --> 00:34:11.259
 question,

00:34:11.619 --> 00:34:12.819
 how does

00:34:12.819 --> 00:34:13.360
 this mean,

00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:14.000
 or what

00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:14.339
 does this

00:34:14.339 --> 00:34:14.739
 mean for

00:34:14.739 --> 00:34:15.039
 me?

00:34:15.960 --> 00:34:16.400
 Do I

00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:16.819
 actually

00:34:16.819 --> 00:34:17.920
 trust God's

00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:18.179
 covenant

00:34:18.179 --> 00:34:18.599
 commitment,

00:34:18.839 --> 00:34:19.380
 or do I

00:34:19.380 --> 00:34:19.940
 actually

00:34:19.940 --> 00:34:21.440
 try to

00:34:21.440 --> 00:34:21.880
 fix things

00:34:21.880 --> 00:34:22.219
 my way,

00:34:22.339 --> 00:34:22.719
 get it

00:34:22.719 --> 00:34:22.940
 done?

00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:25.199
 And to

00:34:25.199 --> 00:34:25.519
 be fair,

00:34:25.699 --> 00:34:27.119
 I think I

00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:27.460
 have my

00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:27.900
 moments,

00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:28.579
 there are

00:34:28.579 --> 00:34:29.279
 periods where

00:34:29.279 --> 00:34:30.739
 I trust

00:34:30.739 --> 00:34:31.299
 completely,

00:34:31.500 --> 00:34:31.739
 and at

00:34:31.739 --> 00:34:32.239
 times I'm

00:34:32.239 --> 00:34:32.440
 like,

00:34:32.599 --> 00:34:33.339
 God,

00:34:33.420 --> 00:34:33.860
 I think I

00:34:33.860 --> 00:34:34.519
 can do

00:34:34.519 --> 00:34:34.880
 a better

00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:35.319
 job,

00:34:35.839 --> 00:34:36.179
 I can

00:34:36.179 --> 00:34:36.719
 make things

00:34:36.719 --> 00:34:37.119
 happen.

00:34:37.940 --> 00:34:38.259
 And maybe

00:34:38.259 --> 00:34:39.339
 for someone

00:34:39.339 --> 00:34:39.759
 who is

00:34:39.759 --> 00:34:40.199
 here that

00:34:40.199 --> 00:34:40.719
 is not

00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:41.679
 a Christian,

00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:42.679
 a practical

00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:43.339
 application

00:34:43.339 --> 00:34:43.960
 would be,

00:34:44.819 --> 00:34:45.980
 a good place

00:34:45.980 --> 00:34:46.339
 to start

00:34:46.339 --> 00:34:46.860
 would be just

00:34:46.860 --> 00:34:47.519
 to acknowledge

00:34:47.519 --> 00:34:48.259
 that indeed

00:34:48.259 --> 00:34:49.079
 God has

00:34:49.079 --> 00:34:50.019
 worked behind

00:34:50.019 --> 00:34:50.559
 the scenes.

00:34:51.559 --> 00:34:52.019
 Maybe a

00:34:52.019 --> 00:34:52.440
 good time

00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:53.179
 would be to

00:34:53.179 --> 00:34:54.279
 consider your

00:34:54.279 --> 00:34:54.739
 life and

00:34:54.739 --> 00:34:55.440
 reflect on

00:34:55.440 --> 00:34:56.799
 several events

00:34:56.799 --> 00:34:57.519
 and see that

00:34:57.519 --> 00:34:58.139
 indeed God

00:34:58.139 --> 00:34:58.739
 has been

00:34:58.739 --> 00:34:59.400
 working behind.

00:34:59.400 --> 00:35:02.079
 maybe we

00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:02.460
 would need

00:35:02.460 --> 00:35:03.380
 to acknowledge

00:35:03.380 --> 00:35:04.139
 that you

00:35:04.139 --> 00:35:04.619
 are finite

00:35:04.619 --> 00:35:05.280
 and God

00:35:05.280 --> 00:35:05.760
 is infinite.

00:35:09.019 --> 00:35:09.800
 And even

00:35:09.800 --> 00:35:10.039
 more,

00:35:10.139 --> 00:35:10.559
 maybe you

00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:11.200
 should consider

00:35:11.200 --> 00:35:11.780
 the cross

00:35:11.780 --> 00:35:13.280
 and this

00:35:13.280 --> 00:35:13.559
 man,

00:35:13.660 --> 00:35:13.940
 Jesus.

00:35:15.079 --> 00:35:15.800
 The cross

00:35:15.800 --> 00:35:16.320
 that speaks

00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:17.119
 of a public

00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:17.820
 display of

00:35:17.820 --> 00:35:18.340
 trust and

00:35:18.340 --> 00:35:18.820
 affection,

00:35:19.820 --> 00:35:20.220
 that also

00:35:20.220 --> 00:35:20.800
 speaks of

00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:21.320
 your own

00:35:21.320 --> 00:35:21.720
 redemption.

00:35:22.720 --> 00:35:23.000
 And in

00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:23.740
 response to

00:35:23.740 --> 00:35:23.980
 that,

00:35:24.079 --> 00:35:24.740
 maybe you

00:35:24.740 --> 00:35:25.119
 would be,

00:35:25.619 --> 00:35:25.960
 you would

00:35:25.960 --> 00:35:26.740
 say like the

00:35:26.739 --> 00:35:27.139
 psalmist,

00:35:27.259 --> 00:35:27.379
 oh,

00:35:27.419 --> 00:35:27.939
 give thanks

00:35:27.939 --> 00:35:28.279
 to the

00:35:28.279 --> 00:35:28.559
 Lord,

00:35:29.239 --> 00:35:29.759
 because he

00:35:29.759 --> 00:35:30.139
 has been

00:35:30.139 --> 00:35:30.779
 committed to

00:35:30.779 --> 00:35:31.179
 me all

00:35:31.179 --> 00:35:31.679
 this while

00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:31.979
 and I

00:35:31.979 --> 00:35:32.419
 never knew.

00:35:34.299 --> 00:35:35.219
 And for

00:35:35.219 --> 00:35:35.919
 us Christians,

00:35:37.500 --> 00:35:37.899
 maybe a

00:35:37.899 --> 00:35:38.319
 good place

00:35:38.319 --> 00:35:38.719
 to start

00:35:38.719 --> 00:35:39.099
 would be

00:35:39.099 --> 00:35:39.619
 in prayer

00:35:39.619 --> 00:35:39.899
 and

00:35:39.899 --> 00:35:40.479
 thanksgiving.

00:35:43.919 --> 00:35:44.699
 Because most

00:35:44.699 --> 00:35:45.259
 times we

00:35:45.259 --> 00:35:46.639
 think that

00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:47.219
 prayer would

00:35:47.219 --> 00:35:47.699
 sort of

00:35:47.699 --> 00:35:49.199
 change things

00:35:49.199 --> 00:35:50.279
 or make

00:35:50.279 --> 00:35:50.779
 things go

00:35:50.779 --> 00:35:51.119
 away,

00:35:51.659 --> 00:35:52.539
 but I'm

00:35:52.539 --> 00:35:53.539
 learning to

00:35:53.539 --> 00:35:53.919
 see that

00:35:53.919 --> 00:35:54.539
 most times

00:35:54.539 --> 00:35:55.559
 what prayer

00:35:55.559 --> 00:35:56.399
 first changes

00:35:56.400 --> 00:35:56.900
 is your

00:35:56.900 --> 00:35:57.360
 heart.

00:35:58.760 --> 00:35:59.579
 Prayer would

00:35:59.579 --> 00:36:00.160
 change your

00:36:00.160 --> 00:36:00.559
 heart to

00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:01.180
 see Jesus

00:36:01.180 --> 00:36:01.800
 and see

00:36:01.800 --> 00:36:02.480
 that he

00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:03.139
 is committed,

00:36:04.139 --> 00:36:05.240
 even though

00:36:05.240 --> 00:36:05.680
 things are

00:36:05.680 --> 00:36:06.280
 not necessarily

00:36:06.280 --> 00:36:07.539
 going how

00:36:07.539 --> 00:36:08.160
 you panned

00:36:08.160 --> 00:36:08.700
 it to be.

00:36:09.800 --> 00:36:10.559
 And I'll

00:36:10.559 --> 00:36:10.980
 share this

00:36:10.980 --> 00:36:11.260
 as an

00:36:11.260 --> 00:36:11.700
 encouragement

00:36:11.700 --> 00:36:12.340
 because I

00:36:12.340 --> 00:36:13.119
 don't think

00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:14.519
 I'm 100%

00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:15.059
 there yet.

00:36:15.340 --> 00:36:16.099
 During the

00:36:16.099 --> 00:36:17.079
 COVID periods,

00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:18.039
 when COVID

00:36:18.039 --> 00:36:18.539
 started,

00:36:19.220 --> 00:36:20.019
 I used to

00:36:20.019 --> 00:36:20.619
 worry a lot

00:36:20.619 --> 00:36:21.079
 about my

00:36:21.079 --> 00:36:22.220
 parents because

00:36:22.220 --> 00:36:22.559
 they're in

00:36:22.559 --> 00:36:22.840
 the early

00:36:22.840 --> 00:36:23.539
 60s,

00:36:23.619 --> 00:36:23.960
 going to

00:36:23.960 --> 00:36:24.740
 the 70s,

00:36:24.739 --> 00:36:26.599
 and one

00:36:26.599 --> 00:36:27.439
 evening I

00:36:27.439 --> 00:36:28.419
 remember just

00:36:28.419 --> 00:36:29.879
 being blunt

00:36:29.879 --> 00:36:30.419
 and like,

00:36:31.000 --> 00:36:31.859
 I do not

00:36:31.859 --> 00:36:32.219
 know what

00:36:32.219 --> 00:36:32.519
 to do,

00:36:32.619 --> 00:36:32.799
 Lord.

00:36:33.219 --> 00:36:33.859
 I worry

00:36:33.859 --> 00:36:34.399
 about these

00:36:34.399 --> 00:36:35.000
 people and

00:36:35.000 --> 00:36:35.579
 I'm miles

00:36:35.579 --> 00:36:35.899
 away.

00:36:37.079 --> 00:36:37.339
 And the

00:36:37.339 --> 00:36:37.899
 question popped

00:36:37.899 --> 00:36:38.559
 to my head

00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:39.000
 was,

00:36:39.839 --> 00:36:40.719
 where would

00:36:40.719 --> 00:36:41.379
 you rather

00:36:41.379 --> 00:36:42.000
 have them

00:36:42.000 --> 00:36:42.299
 be?

00:36:42.919 --> 00:36:43.619
 Would you

00:36:43.619 --> 00:36:44.979
 rather keep

00:36:44.979 --> 00:36:45.619
 them and keep

00:36:45.619 --> 00:36:46.439
 them safe or

00:36:46.439 --> 00:36:47.099
 would you

00:36:47.099 --> 00:36:48.559
 trust them to

00:36:48.559 --> 00:36:49.479
 me so that

00:36:49.479 --> 00:36:49.839
 I would keep

00:36:49.839 --> 00:36:50.359
 them safe?

00:36:50.360 --> 00:36:52.860
 And I

00:36:52.860 --> 00:36:53.500
 wrestled with

00:36:53.500 --> 00:36:54.039
 that for a

00:36:54.039 --> 00:36:54.539
 moment and

00:36:54.539 --> 00:36:55.120
 I realized

00:36:55.120 --> 00:36:55.680
 that maybe

00:36:55.680 --> 00:36:56.579
 I'm not as

00:36:56.579 --> 00:36:58.079
 meticulous as

00:36:58.079 --> 00:36:58.579
 I think that

00:36:58.579 --> 00:36:58.940
 I am.

00:36:59.260 --> 00:36:59.900
 Maybe my

00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:00.559
 parents are

00:37:00.559 --> 00:37:01.559
 even way

00:37:01.559 --> 00:37:02.260
 more safer

00:37:02.260 --> 00:37:03.559
 in his

00:37:03.559 --> 00:37:04.180
 arms more

00:37:04.180 --> 00:37:05.320
 than mine.

00:37:06.860 --> 00:37:07.640
 Because what's

00:37:07.640 --> 00:37:08.140
 the best I

00:37:08.140 --> 00:37:08.480
 could give

00:37:08.480 --> 00:37:08.740
 them?

00:37:10.740 --> 00:37:11.280
 Health

00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:11.900
 insurance?

00:37:13.360 --> 00:37:14.019
 Paying the

00:37:14.019 --> 00:37:14.720
 hospital bills?

00:37:14.940 --> 00:37:15.099
 That would,

00:37:16.720 --> 00:37:17.260
 it's not a

00:37:17.260 --> 00:37:18.180
 guaranteed safety.

00:37:18.840 --> 00:37:19.200
 It's not a

00:37:19.200 --> 00:37:20.220
 guaranteed security.

00:37:20.360 --> 00:37:22.019
 Maybe,

00:37:23.059 --> 00:37:25.420
 I came to

00:37:25.420 --> 00:37:26.519
 a resolution

00:37:26.519 --> 00:37:27.240
 that day that

00:37:27.240 --> 00:37:27.700
 maybe they

00:37:27.700 --> 00:37:28.019
 are rather

00:37:28.019 --> 00:37:28.599
 safe with

00:37:28.599 --> 00:37:29.260
 him rather

00:37:29.260 --> 00:37:30.079
 than with

00:37:30.079 --> 00:37:30.300
 me.

00:37:31.880 --> 00:37:33.039
 And I

00:37:33.039 --> 00:37:33.840
 am trying to

00:37:33.840 --> 00:37:34.440
 apply that

00:37:34.440 --> 00:37:35.140
 same resolve

00:37:35.140 --> 00:37:35.620
 to every

00:37:35.620 --> 00:37:36.120
 other thing

00:37:36.120 --> 00:37:37.440
 in prayer

00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:37.840
 and in

00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:38.280
 thanksgiving

00:37:38.280 --> 00:37:38.780
 that even

00:37:38.780 --> 00:37:39.099
 in the

00:37:39.099 --> 00:37:39.500
 future,

00:37:40.220 --> 00:37:41.300
 maybe my

00:37:41.300 --> 00:37:42.039
 career is

00:37:42.039 --> 00:37:42.539
 safe in

00:37:42.539 --> 00:37:43.579
 his arms

00:37:43.579 --> 00:37:44.099
 rather than

00:37:44.099 --> 00:37:45.200
 my network

00:37:45.200 --> 00:37:45.940
 and connections.

00:37:47.420 --> 00:37:48.380
 Maybe my

00:37:48.380 --> 00:37:49.559
 security and

00:37:49.559 --> 00:37:50.019
 provision,

00:37:50.019 --> 00:37:50.860
 everything that

00:37:50.860 --> 00:37:51.239
 I worry

00:37:51.239 --> 00:37:51.860
 over is

00:37:51.860 --> 00:37:52.219
 safe in

00:37:52.219 --> 00:37:52.679
 his arms

00:37:52.679 --> 00:37:53.300
 rather than

00:37:53.300 --> 00:37:54.259
 my good

00:37:54.259 --> 00:37:54.780
 AIA

00:37:54.780 --> 00:37:55.320
 insurance

00:37:55.320 --> 00:37:55.900
 policy.

00:37:58.360 --> 00:37:59.340
 And that's

00:37:59.340 --> 00:38:00.179
 the comfort

00:38:00.179 --> 00:38:01.400
 I am

00:38:01.400 --> 00:38:02.900
 resolving to.

00:38:03.639 --> 00:38:04.099
 That even

00:38:04.099 --> 00:38:05.420
 though one

00:38:05.420 --> 00:38:06.880
 day my

00:38:06.880 --> 00:38:07.460
 parents might

00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:08.340
 pass on

00:38:08.340 --> 00:38:09.119
 this life,

00:38:09.219 --> 00:38:09.860
 I would be

00:38:09.860 --> 00:38:10.619
 comforted,

00:38:10.619 --> 00:38:12.099
 not because

00:38:12.099 --> 00:38:12.460
 I have

00:38:12.460 --> 00:38:12.900
 everything,

00:38:13.119 --> 00:38:13.839
 but because

00:38:13.839 --> 00:38:14.819
 I know

00:38:14.819 --> 00:38:15.960
 God's

00:38:15.960 --> 00:38:16.339
 covenant

00:38:16.339 --> 00:38:16.799
 commitment

00:38:16.799 --> 00:38:17.940
 is true,

00:38:18.079 --> 00:38:18.420
 it is

00:38:18.420 --> 00:38:18.779
 faithful.

00:38:19.779 --> 00:38:20.219
 And I

00:38:20.219 --> 00:38:20.659
 would hold

00:38:20.659 --> 00:38:21.159
 on to

00:38:21.159 --> 00:38:21.920
 the truth

00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:23.519
 that if

00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:24.179
 God said

00:38:24.179 --> 00:38:25.500
 those who

00:38:25.500 --> 00:38:25.940
 mourn will

00:38:25.940 --> 00:38:26.779
 be comforted,

00:38:27.059 --> 00:38:27.539
 then I'm

00:38:27.539 --> 00:38:27.960
 sure he

00:38:27.960 --> 00:38:28.440
 would comfort

00:38:28.440 --> 00:38:30.019
 me because

00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:30.739
 he is

00:38:30.739 --> 00:38:31.579
 committed to

00:38:31.579 --> 00:38:32.239
 make that

00:38:32.239 --> 00:38:32.639
 happen.

00:38:32.639 --> 00:38:36.039
 And for

00:38:36.039 --> 00:38:37.359
 as a

00:38:37.359 --> 00:38:37.900
 community,

00:38:38.099 --> 00:38:38.400
 I think

00:38:38.400 --> 00:38:39.299
 a good

00:38:39.299 --> 00:38:39.659
 way would

00:38:39.659 --> 00:38:39.980
 be to

00:38:39.980 --> 00:38:40.420
 keep our

00:38:40.420 --> 00:38:40.920
 eyes on

00:38:40.920 --> 00:38:41.259
 Jesus.

00:38:42.500 --> 00:38:43.259
 Keeping our

00:38:43.259 --> 00:38:43.719
 eyes on

00:38:43.719 --> 00:38:44.480
 Jesus would

00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:45.319
 be,

00:38:45.799 --> 00:38:47.139
 would somewhat

00:38:47.139 --> 00:38:47.819
 mean that

00:38:47.819 --> 00:38:48.379
 each and

00:38:48.379 --> 00:38:48.900
 every one of

00:38:48.900 --> 00:38:49.440
 us in an

00:38:49.440 --> 00:38:49.980
 old way,

00:38:50.119 --> 00:38:50.400
 we would

00:38:50.400 --> 00:38:51.159
 encourage each

00:38:51.159 --> 00:38:51.599
 other to

00:38:51.599 --> 00:38:52.139
 see that

00:38:52.139 --> 00:38:52.799
 God is

00:38:52.799 --> 00:38:53.059
 indeed

00:38:53.059 --> 00:38:53.480
 faithful.

00:38:53.480 --> 00:38:55.280
 Like this is what happened in my life.

00:38:55.659 --> 00:38:57.980
 This is the faithfulness of God.

00:38:58.099 --> 00:39:05.179
 Even in our small community groups or TGs or family groups, we can attest to each other.

00:39:05.860 --> 00:39:10.980
 Maybe we can have a journal or a praise report that we read to each other each time.

00:39:11.219 --> 00:39:13.460
 This is God's covenant commitment.

00:39:13.940 --> 00:39:18.139
 This is the time God came through in order to encourage us not to forget,

00:39:18.139 --> 00:39:23.559
 but to remember that God is indeed faithful and he's committed to secure us,

00:39:23.619 --> 00:39:26.579
 to keep us through all that we might face in his life.

00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:34.440
 And in conclusion, I hope we consider our life experience.

00:39:35.699 --> 00:39:39.719
 I hope we consider and see the patterns just like the Psalms.

00:39:40.400 --> 00:39:44.579
 And maybe we would have more than four stories or five stories.

00:39:44.579 --> 00:39:48.519
 Maybe we would have infinite stories to tell that God has indeed faithful.

00:39:49.099 --> 00:39:54.340
 God has indeed been faithful and he is indeed committed to keep us.

00:39:55.319 --> 00:39:57.940
 And whether in the past or in the future to come,

00:39:58.819 --> 00:40:00.980
 we would be like the Psalmist.

00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:07.719
 And shout in outburst or solemnly attest,

00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:11.619
 Oh, give thanks to the Lord for his good,

00:40:11.840 --> 00:40:14.099
 for his steadfast love endures forever.

00:40:14.579 --> 00:40:16.819
 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:18.699
 for he has redeemed us from trouble.

00:40:19.840 --> 00:40:20.679
 Let us pray.

00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:25.500
 Lord, we thank you for today.

00:40:26.659 --> 00:40:28.579
 We thank you that by your grace,

00:40:28.940 --> 00:40:33.239
 may your word be an encouragement to everyone who hear it.

00:40:34.519 --> 00:40:37.099
 We pray, oh Lord, that when we forget,

00:40:38.059 --> 00:40:41.639
 that we will be reminded that you are indeed faithful

00:40:41.639 --> 00:40:45.339
 and you are committed to us because you love us.

00:40:46.900 --> 00:40:49.559
 And Lord, may we walk in understanding,

00:40:50.179 --> 00:40:51.759
 not to take it for granted,

00:40:52.559 --> 00:40:54.159
 but in open arms,

00:40:54.279 --> 00:40:58.819
 rever that you are indeed the God who walks behind the scenes

00:40:58.820 --> 00:41:00.580
 and you are the God who delivers,

00:41:01.320 --> 00:41:03.680
 you are the God who rescues and saves us.

00:41:05.300 --> 00:41:09.340
 Help us to trust in you and not on the idols that we've created,

00:41:09.920 --> 00:41:15.059
 not in the securities that we've guided or mounted around our heart.

00:41:15.600 --> 00:41:18.260
 Help us to see you as our only resort.

00:41:18.260 --> 00:41:23.820
 Help us to trust you even in the mundane things, Lord.

00:41:25.380 --> 00:41:26.620
 In Christ's name that we pray.

00:41:27.400 --> 00:41:27.680
 Amen.