HE is Good. So Good!

Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!

~Psalm 66:20

OK, here it is.
The reason I am so enamored with this verse, and the psalm, and ultimately the GOD behind it all.

Because He could have!

God could have rejected the prayer of the psalmist, and He could have withheld His love.
God was in no way obligated to turn toward the psalmist in mercy. Nor is He indebted to us.
God did not have to forgive the sin spoken of in v.18. He wasn't forced to give ear to the psalmist's cries, or to pay attention to his praise. God could have turned aside His holy head and completely ignored him.
He could have.
But HE didn't.
The perfect love of God compels HIM to show kindness to everyone who surrenders to Him.
And it is that lovingkindness upon which I want to focus in our study today.

The word love in Psalm 66:20 comes from the Hebrew word checed and, as used in this verse, it refers specifically to "lovingkindness in redemption from enemies and troubles".
Our psalmist friend has certainly accounted for plenty of troubles in this psalm, hasn't he!
Are you familiar with Joseph's story?
(I am referring to Joseph the son of Jacob, not Jesus' daddy.)
The Joseph whose story is told in Genesis certainly had his share of troubles. It'll take some time but - if you have never read about Joseph - I would encourage you to get your Bible, start in Genesis 37 and don't stop until the end of the book. It's some amazing stuff!
The very quick version is this: Joseph was Jacob's favorite, and his brothers were terribly jealous of him. So much so that they sold him into slavery but made up a story of his death to pass on to Jacob. Joseph was puchased by a rich man whose wife tried to seduce him, such that he ended up in prison. And here's where we get to that lovingkindness.

But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

~Genesis 39:20b-21

That kindness God showed Joseph? The same love spoken of by the psalmist in 66:20.
And it was that lovingkindness which led to Joseph being released from prison, and put in charge of the land of Egypt, and organizing food for seven years of famine, and providing food and home and hope for his family (Yes, the same brothers who once sold him off eventually came to him for help.). And it was that lovingkindness which ultimately led to Joseph recognizing the grace and mercy and power of a perfectly loving God.

3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.

~Genesis 45:3-8a

Who did Joseph believe was responsible for his life in Egypt?
Much more happens in the story over the next five chapters - including the death of Jacob - and Joseph's brothers ended up terrified again that he was going to seek revenge on them.

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

~Genesis 50:19-21

Again, to Whom did Joseph give cedit for his position in Egypt?
All through his trials, Joseph had experienced the lovingkindness of God. How did that relationship impact both his outlook, and his understanding of his circumstance?

Both Joseph and the psalmist experienced the checed of God. They each faced troubles and they each were delivered from them through God's lovingkindness. And as a result, they each trusted that God is good. Even when their circumstances were not.
How about you, friend? Do you have the same confidence?
Perhaps an appropriate response would be for you to spend some moments in prayer - thanking HIM for the hope you have, or asking HIM to fill in the hole.
May God - who is always good - supply you with the fullest joy as you trust in HIM today.

Psalm 66:20

Praise be to God
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me.

~Psalm 66:20

With Certainty and Confidence

But God has surely listened
and heard my voice in prayer.

~Psalm 66:19

I mentioned in my video Monday that while I was interested in studying the meaning of the words "listened" and "heard" in Psalm 66:19, the part of the verse which really beckoned my spirit was the confidence expressed in the phrase "But God...surely". And since one of my greatest desires is to listen and respond obediently to the Holy Spirit, I am choosing for our study this week to focus on that phrase. It comes from the Hebrew word aken and is the same word used in verse 16 of this passage from Genesis. So, let's take a look.

10 Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place. 12 He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. 22 This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

~Genesis 28:10-22

I suppose a bit of background to help set the context of this passage would be helpful.
Just before Jacob has this dream/encounter with God, he had followed his mother's advice and scheme to steal his brother's birthright, and their father's blessing. Needless to say, big brother was ticked. (And was making plans to kill Jacob.) Thus, mom's additional advice for Jacob to get out of town - which led to the journey when the above dream took place.
So we have Jacob - conned by his mother into being deceitful, angering his brother to the point of homicide, running for his life. Not exactly the precursers I would anticipate which would lead to the blessing of God. But then - God didn't ask for my opinion, did He!? Anyway, the dream happens and everything changes for Jacob.
What does God promise Jacob in verses 13 and 14?
Do His words sound at all familiar to you?
They should. Look at Genesis 12, 15, 17, and 26. God had been saying essentially the same thing to Abraham and Isaac for years!
With what additional promises does God follow up in verse 15?
What is Jacob's response in verse 16?
The word "surely" here is the same word used in Psalm 66:19 and is an adverb used with strong assertive force. In other words, the speaker who uses this word is confident of the thing about which they are speaking. So, of what does Jacob express certainty?
What vow does he make in verses 20-21?
OK, now based upon what you know about biblical history and God's covenent with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - did God keep the promises He made to Jacob in his dream?
Was Jacob right to express confidence in God, and to trust Him to keep His promises?
Thinking of Psalm 66:19, do you think the psalmist was reasonable in the confidence he expressed?
And what about you, my friend?
Do you have certainty that you can trust God?
Do  you believe He is who He says He is? And that He will do what He says He will do?
If you are struggling to find that kind of confidence today, may I encourage you to re-read the Genesis passages above? And this one from Hebrews?
Then spend time asking God to strengthen your faith as you seek to believe Him.
He is trustworthy, friend. And I am sure He will do it!

Psalm 66:19

But God has surely listened
and heard my voice in prayer.

~Psalm 66:19

When We Confess

If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the LORD would not have listened;

~Psalm 66:18

If you watched my video Monday, you know the word translated "cherished" in Psalm 66:18 actually means "to see". It is the same word used in the Creation story when God looked at what He made and saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:4,10,12,18,21,25,31) It is also the same word used in Genesis 6:5 when God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth.
Thus, I believe the idea being expressed in Psalm 66:18 goes beyond what we typically think of when we use the word cherished. More than the notion of clinging to sin - of embracing it - I think this verse is suggesting mere awareness of sin in our hearts. That is, I think the psalmist was proposing that if he had simply known sin was in his heart (If he had seen it there - and not done anything about it.) then God would not have listened to his prayer.
Seems a bit drastic, I know, but I think it shows us just how seriously God takes sin. In fact, as I was getting ready to write this post I heard a song about the holiness of God (No one will ever convince me HE is not in control of every little detail.) and my spirit cried out in sorrow for the sin in me, and all around me in this world.
Indeed. Sin is a very big deal to God.
For that reason, as we consider Psalm 66:18, I want to also take time to examine a passage from 1 John.
Go ahead and read through these verses slowly and prayerfully.

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

~1 John 1:5-9

What message does John declare in verse 5?
In saying that God is light, John is declaring God's holiness. His purity.
And he contrasts that light with darkness - that is, a "brand of moral, spiritual obscurity" which is associated with wickedness and results in misery. (a.k.a. sin)
How about verse 6? What conflict does John point out here?
The word "fellowship" implies something shared in common, an intimacy. Specifically in this verse, John is suggesting a person having the same mind as God and Christ. Not some sort of casual acquaintance, but real and truthful sharing.
So, based upon what you know about these words (light, darkness, and fellowship) does John's warning in verse 6 ring true to you?
It's a big deal! Sin breaks our fellowship with God.
Conversely, what does John assert in verse 7?
But is it really possible?
Can we truly walk in the light as He is in the light? Can we be holy like He is holy?
What about sin? Verse 8 pretty much convicts us about its presence in our lives.
So how is it possible for us to walk in the light? How can we be free from our sin?
(Verse 7 reminds us that neither of these - walking in the light, nor being free from sin - are possible without the blood of Jesus!)
How does verse 9 show us what to do?
To "confess" means to not deny, rather to admit our guilt to God in agreement with Him regarding the wrong we have done. In so doing, we step out of the darkness and are freed from the guilt of that sin.
Thus, we walk in the light as He is in the light, and we have fellowship with HIM.

Finally, how does John's teaching relate to Psalm 66:18?
And how are you going to respond???

Psalm 66:18

If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the LORD would not have listened;

~Psalm 66:18

Teach Me How to Pray

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

~Psalm 66:17

As I mentioned in my video Monday, Psalm 66:17 has been an inspiration and a good reminder to me to give God praise each time I am also crying out to Him for help.
God knows we are needy and He loves to meet our needs. But He is also ALWAYS worthy of our praise. And I believe we can delight Him doubly when we come to Him with praise - while we're simultaeously confessing our need for His hand in our lives.
I think Paul was convinced of the importance of this kind of prayer, too. And today I want to spend time examining what the Spirit said through him on this subject.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 4:6-7

Ahhhhh, this is such an encouraging Word about prayer. And we're going to look at it closely. But to get the full effect - the total scope of what Paul is saying - I think it is vital that we study the words leading up to what he says about prayer.
Let's start with "anxious".
Most of us are pretty aware of what it means to be anxious. Even so, I think it is beneficial to look at the word as Paul knew it in his day. To be anxious meant to be "a part" rather than to be "whole". It was to be drawn in opposite directions. To be divided into parts. Pulled to pieces. And I think it is interesting to note that the word is most commonly used in a negative sense in the New Testament. Which I guess would be the reason Paul tells his readers to NOT be anxious.
OK. Are we good with that word?
Then let's move on to "nothing".
And let's really look at it.
Because in a world where we answer questions like, "Honey, what's wrong?" by saying, "Oh, nothing," when clearly something is the matter - well, I think it would be good for us to know what Paul meant.
Uh, he meant nothing.
As in, the word Paul used comes from two Greek words, one meaning "not a possiblity" and the other meaning "one". Making his word's literal meaning, "not even one." That is, when Paul said, "Be anxious for nothing," he meant absolutely "nothing".
Not even one thing!
A high standard, to be sure. But we'll get to how that's possible in a moment.
First, though, let's see what he meant by "everything". Actually, it isn't too mind-stretching. He meant every single thing. Every part which makes up a whole. All of it.
In other words, the very opposite of "nothing".
So he says, Don't be pulled to pieces by even one thing. Instead, in every single thing...
In every single thing, PRAY.
And this is where we're getting into the parallels between this verse and Pslam 66:17.
The word Paul uses here which is translated as "prayer" does, in fact, mean prayer. But more than simply asking for something, it speaks of worship - of relating to and fellowshiping with God. It's recognizing who He is and honoring Him for it. Ahem, it's having His praise on our tongue!
Then we get to "supplication" which also means prayer. But more specifically, it is a "heart-felt petition, arising out of deep personal need". That is, it's crying out to him with our mouth.
All this we are to do, says Paul, while giving thanks for God's grace.
In fact, if we were to translate Paul's words into Psalm 66 format I think we would come up with something like this:

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
I gave thanks to God while I told him what I need.

And what, according to Paul (by inspiration of the Holy Spirit!), is the result of this kind of prayer?
Ahhh, this is my favorite part!
The peace of God - that is, "wholeness" - when all essential parts are joined together. (Can you say, the complete opposite of "anxious"??!! Like, seriously. Look at it. Anxious is pulled to pieces, and peace is everything joined together. I love how God paints this picture of what it means for us to trust in Him!) That wholeness will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Ahhhh, but we aren't finished. There's one more picture for us to see.
It comes from the word "guard".
And I bet you want to know what that means, right?
It is "to guard (keep watch) like a military sentinel", or (figuratively) "to actively display whatever defensive and offensive means are necessary to guard."
Friends, I'm picturing a line of armed military guards standing between me and anxiety, as I'm on my knees praising God and trusting Him with my needs. And every time anxiety tries to encroach upon me, this line of guards - called the Peace of God - raises their guns and yells out,

Back off, dude. She's mine, and you can't touch her!

And that - the Peace of God standing guard over us - is how we can be anxious for not even one thing.

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

~Psalm 66:17

How do these words and this prescription for trusting God impact your heart today?

Psalm 66:17

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

~Psalm 66:17

Let Me Tell You

Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.

~Psalm 66:16

What happens when we tell other believers what God has done for us?
Today, let's take a look at a few verses from Second Corinthians to read about a time when Paul testified regarding God's hand in his life.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

~2 Corinthians 1:3-11

How is God described in verse 3?
According to verse 4, what does God do? Why?
How does verse 6 describe the relationship between Paul's (and his companions') experiences and those of his readers?
According to verses 8 and 9, how bad were Paul's troubles?
Based on verse 6, how do you think the testimony in verses 8 and 9 would have impacted the Corinthians?
How do these verses personally impact you, in whatever circumstances you find yourself today?
Why does verse 9 say this circumstance happened?
What is Paul's confidence in verse 10?
According to verse 11, what role were the Corinthians to play in helping Paul?
How do you think Paul's words in verse 11 would have encouraged the Corinthian church?
If God "comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God," how can you offer yourself and your story for the benefit of others?
I would love to encourge you to spend some time praying, asking the Holy Spirit to make you sensitive to His nudge in each time He wants to use you as a comforter.

Psalm 66:16

Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.

~Psalm 66:16

Being a Cheerful Giver

I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.

~Psalm 66:15

As I mentioned in the video Monday, according to Leviticus 1, burnt offerings of fat were an aroma pleasing to the LORD. And in Psalm 66:15 we see a man joyfully bringing such offerings to God.
I'm arriving at the conclusion that the psalmist was joyful based on a few things:
*He spent the first half of the psalm giving instruction to praise God (and reasons to do it).
*The big BUT in verse 12.
*His recollection of God's faithfulness in the midst of trouble. (v.14)
*And the understanding from Leviticus 1 that this offering was a delight to God.

The thing I would like to do with you today is spend time examining our own hearts, in light of what scripture says regarding the way we make offerings to God.
And to do that I want to have a look at 2 Corinthians 9:6-9.

6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written,
“He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever.”

What is the first thing you notice in verse 6? What correlation?
According to verse 7, what is to be the motivation for the amount sown in verse 6?
Who does verse 8 indicate is the One behind everything we have to sow?
Verse 9 is a quote from Psalm 112 which examines the life and behavior of a righteous person. If you have the time, I would encourage you to read it!
OK. Now that you have a general familiarity with this passage, I want to focus in on verse 7 and ask God to speak to us about our hearts when it comes to the way we make offerings to Him.
First, let's look at the word "purposed." It comes from two Greek words which mean "before" and "choose". And when the two are put together it means "to choose for oneself before another thing."
That is, to purpose something - to decide that you're going to do one particular thing.
Now let's examine "grudgingly". The transliteration from Greek is lupe (Pronounced loo'-pay - as in, You'd have to be crazy to let this be your motivation for giving! *wink*) and it actually means pain of body or mind. It could be used to describe the kind of heart-sorrow that brings a person down.
Next up? "Compulsion". This word in Greek carries with it the idea that an action must be performed. It describes a situation often brought on by pain or distress, and may even imply the use of force to get something done.
And, finally, let's look at "cheerful." As a stark contrast to the previous two words, this one means "joyous". It describes a person who is "cheerfully ready to act" because they have already decided - without outside influence, compulsion, or otherwise - to do a thing. And that - we are told - is the kind of offer-er in which God takes pleasure.
So, my friend, as you consider the joy of the psalmist bringing his offerings to God in verse 15, and in light of what you see in these word studies from 2 Corinthians 9:7 - how are you doing with your giving?
Not only in the financial/material realm, but also with regard to your time and talent, your attitude and intent? What is God saying to your heart?

Psalm 66:15

I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.

~Psalm 66:15

When We're in Trouble

- vows my lips promised, and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.

~Psalm 66:14

The first 13 verses in Psalm 66 have certainly given us many examples of trouble.
*Being stuck between the Red Sea and an army of angry Egyptians.
*Being in prison. (Whether that was literal, or figurative...)
*Being laden with burdens.
*Having men ride over ones head. (Again, the literal or figurative question.)
*Going through fire and water.
I know we can add our own troubled circumstances to this list.
And now in verse 14 we see the psalmist making reference to those troubles again - as the springboard for vows he made to God. So today I would like to go a little deeper into how we can respond to God in the midst of the troubles we face.
Because we will face them!

Let's spend some time studying Psalm 27:1-6.
How does the psalmist describe the LORD in verse 1? And what is the psalmist's response to his own description of HIM?
Verses 2-3 speak of situations most people would fear. Based upon what you know from verse 1, why does the psalmist respond with confidence?
According to verse 4, what is the psalmist's greatest desire?
Does verse 5 indicate that the psalmist's life will be free of trouble if his desire in verse 4 is achieved?
What will happen instead?
What does verse 6 say will be the result of God's protection? Both for the psalmist and his enemies, and the psalmist and God?
We see in both Psalm 66:14 and Psalm 27:1-6 that God's help in the midst of trouble elicits a response from those whom He has helped. Maybe it is the fulfillment of vows, or passionate shouts of joy. I shared with you in the video Monday that my own response has been one of surrender - letting go of my attempts to control my circumstance, because I have recognized that God is the only One in whom I can trust.
In light of what we have seen today, how will you respond to God the next time you're in trouble?
May I encourage you to prayerfully read through Psalm 27:1-6 again, asking God to speak to your heart about His power in your troubles, and your response to it all?

Psalm 66:14

- vows my lips promised, and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.

~Psalm 66:14

What Shall I Offer?

I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you -

~Psalm 66:13

As I said in the video Monday, thinking about Psalm 66:13 has caused me to really consider what I am offering to God. That is, I know I don't have to bring Him physical offerings like the psalmist did. We don't have a temple building where God's Name dwells as in days of old, where we are instructed to bring sacrifices and offerings. Even so, this verse has been stirring in my spirit and leading me to ponder what I am bringing to God.
So today I would like to spend some time studying Romans 12:1-8, and consider what it looks like for us to make an offering on this side of history. (If you don't have your Bible by your side, feel free to use the link above to access the passage on Biblegateway.)
What, according to verse 1, is to be the motivation for our offering?
Does that kind of motivation seem to be a response, or a duty? How do you tend to think about offerings? As a response of love, or a duty to be fulfilled?
How does verse 1 describe the kind of sacrifice we are to be?
What does verse 2 say will make us that kind of sacrifice?
How can your mind be renewed?
Speaking of our minds, what does verse 3 have to say about the way we think?
And what do verses 4-5 tell us about our role in the body of Christ?
What do you learn about spiritual gifts in verse 6-8?
Sooooo, if we are to offer our bodies to God without thinking too highly of ourselves - rather by recognizing that each of us has a specific part to play in the body of Christ (according to the gift with which He has equipped us), how will you respond to the invitation to come to God's temple and fulfill your vows to Him?
May I encourage you to prayerfully read Romans 12:6-8 again? Then consider the way God has gifted you and ask Him to lead you in how He wants to use you today?
I pray as you respond to God's love, you will find yourself delighted in offering your best to Him!

Psalm 66:13

I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you -

~Psalm 66:13

BUT

You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.

~Psalm 66:13

But.
BUT.
It's such a beautiful word, isn't it?
I'm hurting, BUT the pain won't last forever.
This circumstance stinks, BUT better days are coming.
You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, BUT you brought us to a place of abundance.
What would your sentence say???

I think it is interesting to look at the rest of the story we began last week with the Israelites in Egypt.
They were in a prison of sorts, certainly knowing what it was like to have burdens on their backs - when God revealed the BUT.
Take a look at this:

7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

~Exodus 3:7-10

What has the LORD seen and heard?
What does He say He is going to do?
How does He describe the land into which He is going to take the Israelites?
Perhaps you know the rest of the story. There is a lot of wandering ahead of God's people. They're going to participate in an abundant amount of complaining, their trust will falter frequently, and sometimes they'll even become so forgetful that they'll long for Egypt again.
At one point, they'll actually go through water. (Just like we were reminded in Psalm 66:6.)
BUT - eventually - after they've gone through trials and suffering, after they've doubted God and had their faith tested, after they have been refined and learned to fear the LORD and trust in His power, then they enter the promised land. A good and spacious land, flowing with milk and honey.
Can you see how the story of the Israelites is echoed in Psalm 66:13?

And what about your story, my friend?
How does your circumstance parallel the Truth we see in this verse? In this psalm?
Although refining is never a fun process, though burdens hurt, and fire and water can be frightening, and - if we're honest - we'd really rather just skip it all, I pray you will find hope and comfort in the knowledge that there is a place of abundance ahead.
May God's BUT give you the courage to hold on in faith.

Psalm 66:12

You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.

~Psalm 66:13

HE Did What?

You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.

~Psalm 66:11

Greetings, friend!
Have you been thinking about prison and burdens since Monday?
Are you ready to consider more?
Please take a minute and read from Exodus 1 below:

8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”
11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.

~Exodus 1:8-14

Are you familiar with the events which got the Israelites to this point in Exodus?
There had been a famine in the land of Canaan, but the sons of Jacob heard there was food in Egypt so they went there to buy some. And ended up being brought to Egypt by their estranged brother (By God, actually!) to live.
(It is a fabulous story. If you aren't familiar with the details, I would highly, HIGHLY recommend reading Genesis 37 and 39-47. It will take a while. But it is soooooo good!)
So, anyway, God brought the Israelites to Egypt.
Then Exodus 1 happened.
Do you suppose when God had the idea to lead Jacob's sons to Egypt, He knew what was going to happen when the new king came to power?
Yet He still did it???
Although the Israelites were being saved from the famine when they left Canaan, I guess some would say God had brought them into prison. And laid burdens on their backs.
Now, take a look at Exodus 3:7 when the LORD was speaking to Moses:

7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.

According to this verse, what was the response of the Israelites to their circumstance ?
What about you? Do you find yourself today feeling like you are in a prison, with burdens on your back? And what is your response to circumstances which feel that way?
Do you believe God can be trusted in the midst of them?
Even if He knew about them ahead of time and still allowed them to happen???
My friend, I believe HE can be trusted. Even if.
And I encouage you today to ask your Father to speak to your heart about His good purposes for the prisons and burdens that may be presently impacting you.
May HE grow your ability to trust, even in the midst of the struggle.

Psalm 66:11

You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.

~Psalm 66:11