A Change of Focus

I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. _{Psalm 77:12}

What I love about the different psalmists is their honesty regarding their personal frustrations and their perceived belief of God. In psalm 77 we watch Asaph talk himself from despair to hope, and it is absolutely fascinating. He is deeply troubled about his situation and he pleads with God, day and night, for an answer, because his soul refuses to be comforted and his spirit faints. Then he says,

“Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.”

At that point something changes as his spirit made a diligent search and he asks himself a succession of rhetorical questions: “Will the Lord never again be favourable? Has his steadfast love ceased? Are his promises at an end, and has he shut up his compassion?” No, those thoughts are too ridiculous, for what god is great like our God?

His focus now shifts from down to up as he remembers the deeds of the Lord and his wonders of old. This leads him to weigh up all the marvellous things that God has done before which convinces him that this same power is still at work. So, whatever his current situation, the faithful God of yesterday is still the faithful God of today.

We also need to ponder all [his] mighty deeds and consider thoroughly what the Lord has done in our lives personally and in the lives of others. When we do, we will never fail to see the power of God at work, past and present. This also serves to assure us that it will continue in the days to come, for our God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Meditate, reflect, ponder, and let the truth of God’s continued favour, love and compassion lift you to a higher place.