The Vine: June 24
“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing”
This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)
“O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.”
Psalm 107 has a clear message – Give thanks to God for God is good and God’s steadfast (unfailing) love endures forever. No matter our situation in life, God’s love and faithfulness endures. Throughout this psalm the psalmist highlighted various kinds of trouble the people of Israel experienced and how God delivered them. The psalm serves as a reminder to us that even though we might not have experienced the exodus/wilderness experience of the Israelites or the experience of being taken into captivity in exile, we still find ourselves in trouble throughout life.
The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary had this to say about our human condition and ultimate need of God:
“We are taught to be self-made persons – no need to cry to God for help, and consequently no need to thank God for anything…thus the message of Psalm 107 is simple but radical: there is ultimately no such thing as self-sufficiency, for human life depends on God. The good news is that we can depend on God. God loves us with a steadfast love, and Christians profess that this love is manifested in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not surprising that Jesus does the same kinds of things that God does in the four narrative illustrations in Psalm 107: feeding the hungry in the wilderness, healing and forgiving the sick, liberating those bound by demonic powers, and stilling storms at sea.”
It's interesting to note that the first verse of Psalm 107 mentioned the steadfast love of God and the last verse of the psalm concluded with, “Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.” The love of God brackets the entire psalm. It is a reminder that God’s love brackets all our lives, especially times associated with pain and trouble. Suffering, trouble, despair, and not even death itself has the final say in this world, but God’s love for us in Christ does have the final word. As Paul said in Romans 8:37, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Questions for Reflection:
How do you express gratitude to God in your life? For what are you most thankful?
There is a pattern in many of the psalms – distress, crying out to God, deliverance, and ultimately thanksgiving. Can you recall times in your life when you experienced this progression towards thanksgiving and redemption?
So often we think that we are self-sufficient and can do it all ourselves, but then reality hits and we recognize our need of God and others. What helps you to recognize your dependence on God and being able to seek help?
PRAYER:
Gracious God, we thank you for your unfailing love for us. We are especially grateful that even during trouble in our lives, you have not abandoned us and are with us through it all. Help us to encourage others who are struggling today and may our lives be a reminder of your grace. Amen.
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