Dear Church,
On Sunday I preached a message from Psalm 107:7 in which the Psalmist encouraged people with different reasons to be grateful to thank God for leading them to a “city where they could settle.” The Israelites were captive in Babylon and were therefore cut off from their God-given destiny back in their homeland.
The Psalmist describes the person who is unsettled as one who has lost their way in verses 4-9.
The picture here is of someone in the desert, trying to make it back to their destiny on their own. The desert picture is a picture of hopelessness though because deserts can stretch on for miles. It is lonely in the desert. It is hot. There is no comfort, no shelter, and no shade. You find yourself hungry and thirsty in the desert. You find yourself anxious in the desert as you wander about and wonder how much longer will the desert last or how much longer can I last in this desert?
Verse 9 is filled with hope for the desert dweller: “He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Cry out to Jesus, if you are in the desert and are hungry and thirsty for a change.
The Psalmist also describes the person who is unsettled as one who has lost their freedom in verses 10-16. The Psalmist is clear that their sin placed them in bondage.
Here the Psalmist talks about the experience in Babylon like a prison.
When we don’t choose God’s way, we choose exile in Babylon in a way that limits our freedom to choose God’s way.
Maybe you think life with God is limiting, that it is legalistic and hard, that it is filled with rules and regulations that will limit your ability to enjoy life. That couldn’t be farther from the truth! God’s ways, His commands and precepts are given in order that we might enjoy life to the full! There are only two reasons God doesn’t want us to sin. 1. Sin separates us from God. 2. Sin separates us from our destiny.
If you are in bondage to sin, to addiction or perversion, if there is anything you can’t live without except Jesus, you had better check just what it is that has pull, sway and say in your life. Verse 13 says once again the Israelites cried out to the Lord and they were set free. He freed them so they could pursue that settled city-that established place!
In the final analogy the Psalmist describes the person who is unsettled as one who has lost their hope in verses 23-32.
The people in this analogy weren’t in this storm because they sinned against God like those who had lost their way and those who were in bondage, but these people were just in over their heads. Their stormy circumstances created waves bigger than their ability to endure. Verse 27 says they were at their wits’ end.
Their response was the same as those previously described. They cried out to the LORD and He brought them into a settled state. He totally subdued the storm. Notice that there was still a storm, but it was a whisper compared to the voice of God as He (vs. 30) guided them to their desired haven! Isn’t that awesome?
Cry out to Jesus. Repent of your sin. Be freed from your chains. Let Him into your boat. Live the settled life!
Pastor Melissa
