Let them thank the Lord for …

Four times in our Psalm 107 reading today we come to a verse that requests a certain action. “Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men” (verses 8,15,21,31). Then the Psalm ends with the statement,

“Whoever is wise let him attend to these things: let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD”.

So in being “wise” we get our minds to understand and appreciate the actions of the LORD in attending to – or responding to – the actions or inaction of human beings in the way they live their lives in the sight of God, whether they “see” their Creator – or blindfold themselves – or are simply indifferent toward him.

When you think about it there are clear comparisons to that of children toward their parents as they grow up. And of course there is often considerable failure, especially these days, in the “wisdom” of human parents in the way they train their children, But we are dealing with the wonderful divine parent, isn’t this the reason why we call him our “Heavenly Father”.

Verse 17 states,

“Some were fools through their sinful ways and because of their iniquities suffered affliction”.

We can see parallels in these words with life today. Our world has totally ceased to look to God’s word; they have more or less abandoned belief in him and so the time will come, as verses 26,27 tells us, when

“their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end”.

This is the spirit that is starting to ‘swamp’ our world more and more; with what astonishment will the world see divine action taking place to prevent humans from destroying God’s creation and, in the process, themselves. The prophets warn of God’s ultimate actions, for example through Jeremiah he speaks of the time coming when

“the LORD has an indictment against the nations; he is entering into judgment with all flesh … Thus says the LORD of hosts; Behold disaster is going forth from nation to nation …” (25:31,32).

At that time as verse 42 of our Psalm states,

“The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth”.

Let us make sure we are among those who “thank the LORD … for his wondrous works” in bringing peace out of utter chaos.

+++

Be a Christ Like Servant (netfuss.com)
{Saturday’s with Sarah} Amidst the Worry. (godfearingmama.wordpress.com)
How easy it is to agonize over the “what if’s!” I sometimes think it would be so much easier if I were always with her, trying to oversee and control every little thing within her life. I want her to always be happy, I don’t want her feelings to get hurt, I don’t want her to struggle or suffer in any way. But even now with her still at home, even when I am always with her, I still can’t control what she or others are going to say and do, like when she is mean to her brother.
Community (anabaptistly.wordpress.com)
Up-down theologies of domination have not served the world well. Even the more liberal and entirely post-modern theologies of “stewardship” are still stuck in that up-down schema that inordinately privileges the human being in an anthropocentric hierarchy.
Rapha (meredithlbl.com)
I need to be still and know that my Heavenly Father has a better solution. If I wait, surrender the problem, something will happen. God is faithful and always provides a way out.
The Worth of a Soul (fromthepreacherspc.org)
What gave the prodigal his value is that he belonged to someone? He had a father. If I hear that there are 5,000 runaways every day in America that will not cause me to blink an eye. But if I hear that my child is one of them, there is nothing that I will not do to see that they are found. You are more valuable than an African diamond mine and an Arabian oil field. Why? – Because you have a heavenly Father. In the parable of the lost coin, we read where a woman turns her house upside down in search for a missing coin. Will God not literally turn the world upside down in His search for one lost soul willing to come to Him in obedience?
Preach It! (newevangelizers.com)
St. Paul has the same sense of urgency as his master (I Cor. 9:16-19). He is aware of being entrusted with an awesome responsibility. It is not an option for him to share the gospel. What he has received as a gift, the most precious gift imaginable, he must give as a gift. And he must give it not only to those he likes, or those with whom he has some natural bond. He must not do it only when it suits him, when it is convenient. No, he must exert himself. He must seek common ground with all, Jew, Greek, weak, strong, educated, uneducated–so as to express the gospel to them in a way that they can understand. And this mission led him to cover more ground than even his master–not just Judea and Galilee, but what is now Turkey, Greece, and Italy.
anthropomorphic God or theomorphic humans (larrysmusings.com)
we humans have bodies in the form of God’s. Per the Vedic teachings, we are, in our human bodies with one head, two arms, and two legs, in the form that God has. In Hindu religious art (both in paintings and in sculpture), Lord Krishna is sometimes depicted with 2 arms, and at other times is depicted with four arms – but always with one head, and two legs. Perhaps, this form is the most advantageous for consciousness to have experiences.