God is Good for Me
Psalm 107 My father-in-law loves to tease my son. They both realize it's a game but Bryan never backs down - he goes "nose-to-nose" with his grandfather. Recently, "Poppa" told him "That Daddy of yours is good for nothing!" "He is too!", said Bryan. "Well, what's he good for?", countered Poppa. Bryan thought for a moment and shouted, "Well...he's good for me!" In a very simple, but elegant, way Bryan illustrated a divine truth about God - He is good for me. In Psalm 107, the writer recalls a number of ways that God is good. The response of God's children is to "...give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men" (Psa. 107:8, NIV).
God gives direction to wanderers - Psalm 107:4-9: Do you ever meet people who are just never happy? They can never find satisfaction in life. They seem to wander aimlessly through life, many times from one job to the next hoping to make "the next one" work. They want "the good life" but cannot seem to experience anything but the bad. A common philosophy among them is that they "can't trust anybody". This is a result of wandering away from God's Word and His Will. God made a beautiful world to live in but when we turned from Him to our own way, He gave us Jesus Christ. Now we find life in Him alone and "more abundantly (John 10:10b, NIV)" at that. Are you hungry for peace in your life? God is good, my friend, and "..satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things" (Psa. 107:9, NIV).
God gives freedom from our own stupidity - Psalm 107:10-16: The skeptics today think of themselves as "enlightened" because they reject God. In a recent "Star Trek" episode a fictional group of people from another world were commended because they had "progressed" beyond the belief in and need for a supernatural "god". They now believed in themselves. The Psalmist describes "Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High" (107:10, NIV). The unbelieving skeptic is a prisoner of his own making, lost in selfishness and vain attempts to puff himself up at the expense of others. But God is good and can bring them out of the darkness as "they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and He saved them" (Psa. 107:13, NIV).
God heal us from our afflictions - Psalm 107:17-22: Some people suffer affliction because of their own rebellious ways. The tragedy in Waco, Texas, is but one of many examples of how so many can suffer by ignoring God's truth. There is hope, though, because God is good. "He sent forth His Word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave" (107:20, NIV). "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ comes from hearing the Word of God" (Rom 10:17, NIV). The Word brings spiritual healing and truth to a life blinded by sin and afflicted with its dire consequences. A common theme in the testimony of ex-cultists who are saved by faith in Jesus Christ is the healing ministry of God's Word.
God calms the storms in our life - Psalm 107:32: Everybody is busy today. Busy, busy, busy! Busy people tend to get carried away by circumstance. They are up or down but usually too busy to have a serious talk about it. Inside, their spirit melts away in fear but the busy-ness takes their mind off it. The psalmist describes how God works: "He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them..." (107:29-30, NIV). The busy person must get quiet so the Lord can minister to him. God provides a break in the storm so that His Word will be heard. Consecrate to Him your life and the first part of your day for prayer and Bible study.
"Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord." (Psalm 107:43, NIV)
Our Creator God loves you and wants you to know Him! If you would like to contact this ministry for further information or questions, please send your e-mail to:
Email: ministryrequest1@WordTruth.Com
Web Site: WordTruth.ComCopyright 1999, Randy Lariscy.
