Cycle of Deliverance

(Psa 107:6 KJV)  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

(Proverbs 23 also read)

I didn’t notice it the first time through but this verse is repeated four times in this chapter.  I would go so far as to say it is the theme of the chapter.  I tried to place the events being described and could not but the theme is one that applies to all of Israel’s history and every day of our lives.

In the worst sense people drift into sin and rebellion and are only brought back by being backhanded by God.  That wakes them up, sometimes.  In the best sense we begin to drift on autopilot and end up hitting some kind of wall that gets us back on track.  The key is being reminded that we are dependent on God and need to keep calling out the Him.

So?  This is good thinking for today.  We feel like society is falling apart around us.  The bad news is, it is.  The good news is, people have always felt that way.  The even better news is that God continues to deliver both in our spirits and our physical world. 

Two Edged Response

(Psa 107:1 KJV)  O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

(Proverbs 6 also read)

If I had to pick a title for this Psalm I might select something like, “The Responsiveness of God.”  What might catch you by surprise is that the response goes both ways.  

We see the repeated way in which God responds to the desperation of men.  Hard times are described and God brings relief.  We also see how God responds to evil living with desolation and despair.  The relationship between God and His people is not a static one.  It is not a case of handing in your ticket and getting eternal security.  It is God responding to your response.

So?  He waits.  He listens.  He watches.  He responds.  I intend to give Him reason to send showers of blessings.