"...His steadfast love endures forever."

Brothers & Sisters,

I just completed reading Psalm 136 as part of my devotional time. It is not a long read - 26 verses in total. I highly recommend you take a look. The Psalm walks through Israel's history with God. How God is supreme above all other gods, how He is the provider of every good thing - heavens, waters, lights, day, night, etc. It also walks through Israel's history with God from enslavement in Egypt to deliverance to the Promised Land. The Psalm then takes a personal turn - that this same God, Who is sovereign over all (v.1-3), Who created all things, provides all good things (v.4-9), delivered His people and protected them as they entered His Promised Land (v.10-22) - this mightiest of the mighty, the One of which there is no one higher - THIS GOD is also personally involved in our lives (v.23-25)! THIS GOD "remembered us in our low estate." THIS GOD "rescued us from our foes." THIS GOD "gives food to all flesh in daily provision."

So what should be our response? GRATITUDE (v.26)! God does all of these things - NOT because He is obligated to do so, NOT out of duty, NOT because He has been coerced or bribed! God does all these things "for His steadfast love endures forever!" He does these things because He LOVES His people! I don't know about you, but the past few months have been radically challenging for myself and my family. If you have followed my story on CaringBridge (here), you will see that I am in advanced heart failure, thought I was headed for a transplant but had to divert to an LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) which is like a turbo pump to help my heart. I now have to be attached to electricity 24/7, 365 to power the pump. During the day, I carry around 2 batteries, a computer control unit which runs a "driveline" through a hole in my stomach to reach my heart, and a portable IV pump and bag of medicine. The whole contraption weighs over 10#. At night, I am plugged into an "extension cord" which attaches to the computer control unit while the batteries charge. My IV goes on a pole beside the bed, still pumping medicine into me through my picc line in my right arm.

This is NOT where I imagined I would be in my early 50s. I have been pretty discouraged by all the things I can no longer do (and the list is extensive). I have also been discouraged by all the things I had the potential to do, but now will not be able to (a different type of loss). BUT, I am alive! And I am grateful to be alive! That alone is God's steadfast love displayed to me at this time.

As I read Psalm 136, it became clear that recalling God's power & character, His past actions on behalf of His people (Israel and Christians), and His personal provision and care displayed in a thousand different ways over a lifetime (many of which have been long-forgotten) - these three categories should point us toward hope in the present and should bolster our trust in Him.

I challenge you (and I am doing this as well). Prayerfully think back to those times of peril and threat, of lack and need, of fear and loss... those times when there was no solution besides God's intervention. LIST ALL of them you can!

• when you had a sick child whose fever would not break.

• when you were in financial crisis and there was no money for the bill collectors to collect.

• when you thought all hope was lost in your marriage.

• when the prodigal child had not yet returned.

• when you broke down in the middle of nowhere and no cars were coming by.

• when you studied for that crucial exam for weeks, then blanked out when it was time to take it.

• when you received the surprise notice that your job was no longer your job.

• when the medical test you hoped and prayed would return negative, but it returned positive.

• when...

• when...

• when...

• Ultimately, when you were stuck on the shore between a vast and powerful sea and a vast and powerful enemy... and you could see no way of escape.

Question: Did God come through?

Maybe not in the way you wanted or thought He would, but did He come through?

Share your list with your spouse and family and friends - I recommend adding "for his steadfast love endures forever" between each statement.

Your present "battles" are likely not over, and it is SO EASY to forget all He has brought you through - little and big things. Psalm 136 calls out to you to remember His faithfulness and receive His steadfast love which endures forever!

May God continue to bless you and others through you!

- Dustin (who is still personally struggling ... you are not alone in the fight)

“Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to him.” -- 2 Samuel 10:12