Psalm 107 Meditation

Life can be frustrating.  In saying "life can be frustrating" i mean living in a fallen sinful world is frustrating.  Yes seeing all the calamity around is disturbing but the most disturbing part of this world lies with in my own heart.  I sin.  I am a sinner not because i sin, but i sin because i was born a sinner; as are we all.  According to Psalm 51:5

"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me."

It was encouraging reading Psalm 107 today though.  Our God is an everlasting God.  He is unchanging.  So the God of the old testament is the same as in the new testament and is the same now!  In modern times we have a affinity to run to Gods love, which he is a loving God, but he is also just.  In reading though the old testament it is easy to see how God favors his chosen people, the Israelite's, and shows his wrath to the others. It constatly says "they were wicked in the Lords sight, so he bloted them out." But when dealing with his chosen people, he was nurturing, forgiving and full of mercy; even when they deserved His wrath.  Psalm 107 is full of this.  Gods people being wretched, and Him lovingly drawing them back.

Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
    prisoners suffering in iron chains,
¹¹ because they rebelled against God’s commands
    and despised the plans of the Most High.
¹² So he subjected them to bitter labor;
    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
¹³ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them from their distress.
¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
    and broke away their chains.
¹⁵ Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
¹⁶ for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron.

psalm 107:10-16

This is just one example of this in the chapter.  They rebelled from the Lord so he sent hard labor to bring them back unto Himself.   This is just encouraging because often i rebel from the Lord almighty.  I am wicked in His sight.  But He continually sends things my way to draw me back into worship of Him.  This is a constant reminder of our desperate need for the Lord, and his love and tenderness in caring for us!!

A broken and contrite heart

Often the old testament can get boring and the gung-ho start to reading the whole bible though becomes a mundane task that has little joy.  I generally end up at that point after a few chapters in Leviticus.  However, this time while listing to the audio bible all the laws and sacrifices fascinated me.  And then this weekend i turned to Malachi and in chapter 1 the Lord is angry with the people because they have defiled his name by "presenting defiled food upon My altar." (vs7)  The Lord of Host explains what they have done in vs 8:

"But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil?"

So going back to Leviticus and the law, the Lord has required our best.  He wants a 1 year old lamb with out blemish or spot.  Nothing else will do.  So giving Him the sheep that is no use to you because its blind or lame defiles the Lords name!  Later in the book in chapter 2 the Lord of Hosts says:

“This is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand."

So not only did they defile the Lords name but they cried to Him when He removed His blessing from them. Notice all the capitol H's.  The Lord does not need us, and we surly don't deserve a blessing.  But while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!  But this does not give us a liscence to do what ever we please.  Acording to Psalm 51:16-17 it is not about what we give to the Lord but our heart in giving...


"For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."

So, lets not give the Lord a defiled sacrifice!  That is lets not give him the parts of our hearts that are not needed else-ware.  Lets not give Him the lame, sick and blind, but lets give Him our best.  Our hearts, pure and holy as an undefiled sacrifice!

In closing, Galatians 5:13:
"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."

Lets use our freedom in Christ for His glory and offer our hearts as a pleasing sacrifice!