Psalm 77

I don't think it accidental that this Psalm popped up for me this morning.  In many ways, the truth in this Psalm is what I've been trying to convince my heart of, screaming at myself in some ways. . . I had done a sermon on it a little over a year ago, and so I think it appropriate to share today, if only for myself.  I've cleaned up some parts of it (in the sense of trying to make complete thoughts- it was just my notes as I worked my way through the passage in order to present it).  I'm also almost done with my way through The Message paraphrase, which for this Psalm was particularly striking.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why do we take time to pause and reflect?  To take a break. To evaluate what we have accomplished. To celebrate our victories. To learn from our mistakes. To check our future direction. The Bible is full of times where people took times to remember- the Israelites leaving memorial altars as they journeyed from Egypt and stones after crossing the Jordan, even today we have the concept of sharing in the Lord’s supper to remember Jesus last days and his ultimate sacrifice for us, the Psalms consistently have these remembering journeys.  It is through remembering God’s work in our lives that we can find encouragement and peace in whatever situation we are facing.

1) Remembering can be painful.

Psalm 77: 1-3- I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.  When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted.  I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.

My soul REFUSED to be comforted. Same word in Genesis 37 (Jacob losing Joseph) and Job 6 (why eat things that make me ill)

4-9  You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak.  I thought about the former days, the years of long ago;  I remembered my songs in the night.  My heart meditated and my spirit asked:  “Will the Lord reject forever?  Will he never show his favor again?  Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?  Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
(every person can relate to at least one of these questions)

my spirit asked= a diligent search (looking for the idol in the camp, looking for the silver cup in Benjamin’s bag) 

Is His promise clean gone?  Has he shut up his tender mercies?

I: Many people keep objects as a memorial of someone.  Wedding ring

A: We must not be afraid to engage in remembering even though it may force us to deal with difficult things.  It is an important part of the process as we seek to put our trust fully in God in all things.

2) Remembering requires focused thinking.
10-12 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.  I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.  I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”  

the root of that word meditate- to moan, growl, utter, speak, muse.

I: We often think of meditating as those people on a mountain, sitting with their legs crossed and humming.  What we miss in this illustration is what their mind is doing- the concept behind meditation is to clear one’s head, often times thought of in a way to escape from the world.  For the Christian, there is an important element in that we are not trying to clear our head and check out but instead clear out the distraction and fill it instead with God’s word.  What is the Bible but a collection of God’s miracles and works?

A: How we meditate- Phil 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  
The outcome of this "recipe"?

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

3) Remembering changes our perspective.

E: 13-15 Your ways, God, are holy.  What god is as great as our God?  You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.  With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

Holy- in the sanctuary.

I: There’s a point in every hero story where the protagonist has a realization of what they need to do.  Frodo has his resolve in taking the ring to Mordor, Spiderman decides to hide his identity to protect his family, his conversations with Uncle Ben.

This moment is not necessarily the most difficult part though there is difficult, but it is very important, as it defines the rest of the journey.  And this does not come in the heat of a moment but after much thinking.

A: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”  Sometimes we need to change our way of thinking so that God can affect change in our lives.

4) Remembering should bring us to trust in God’s sovereignty. 

16-20 The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed.  The clouds poured down water,  the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth.  Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind; your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.  Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.  You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

I: Parting the waters refers not only to the Red Sea but also to the beginning of time

A: Each memorial has a purpose.  We must always look to God as we attempt to make sense of life.

Ephesians 1:3-14

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.  In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Conclusion:  Remembering what God has done fuels much of what we do as the church.  It is the reason we gather together each Sunday.  When we struggle, we need that reminder that God is with us, he hears us, he cares.  When hear of the stories of God’s work in others’ lives, we are reminded of His sovereignty and his grace.  We get to spend the entirety of our lives trying to wrap our heads around everything God is and does. . . and remembering God’s work helps us to continually process this.

"The joy and praise that saturate the Psalms come not from an absence of problems, but from a deep conviction that a great God can overcome them."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't remember exactly where that last quote comes from.  It might be from my study Bible.  It's been in my e-mail forever, but without a source.  Anyway. . . a different kind of entry.  But at the very least, it's a memorial stone for me to return to on this journey.