Daily Devotion – June 14, 2021 – Dr. Pat Taylor Ellison

Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32
107:1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.
107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, those he redeemed from trouble
107:3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
107:23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the mighty waters;
107:24 they saw the deeds of the LORD, his wondrous works in the deep.
107:25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.
107:26 They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their calamity;
107:27 they reeled and staggered like drunkards, and were at their wits’ end.
107:28 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out from their distress;
107:29 he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
107:30 Then they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.
107:31 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.
107:32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Has the Lord ever rescued you? This psalmist has clearly seen such a rescue or has been rescued himself/herself. A seafaring business person goes off to do his daily work, and the ship is pitched high on a stormy sea and then brought low down to the depths. And the psalmist praises God for the rescue.

If you have even been in a boat that is pitching and rolling in a storm, you will know this kind of fright. If you have crossed an ocean during a month when these sudden and violent storms happen, and you went anyway, against people’s better advice, and then you were caught in a terrible storm, you will know this feeling of being placed at death’s door and at the same time smacking yourself in the forehead knowing you could have delayed the trip or made a better decision.

You pray, in those times. Is it the Lord who brings that storm to a premature end? Sometimes. Is it the Lord who stays beside you and listens to your lament as the wind and waves take their toll? Always.

The Lord is steadfast. The Lord keeps the promises the Lord makes. Always.

And what are we to do in response to this steadfastness, to this faithfulness? We are to extol the Lord, thank the Lord, and praise the Lord in the congregation of the people and in the assembly of the elders. We are to be caught giving thanks and praise to the Lord. Caught red-handed. Caught in the act.

When recently have you or I been caught in the act of praising and thanking God? That is our job as followers of Jesus Christ – to praise the Lord for his wonderful works and steadfast love. When has someone caught you doing that? Someone in your congregation saw you singing praises, you say? Well, that is to be expected. But that is not really getting caught at something, is it. What about in life outside our beautiful church buildings and church families? What about in life in general, where God is always at work doing amazing things? When have we been caught praising God amongst the people of the world? When have you or I recently been caught doing our job? Maybe it is about time to get caught at that.

Gracious God, Thank you for loving us. Remind us each day to do our job of praising you and to get caught at it, so that our witness to your grace and abundance can been seen by others to your glory.  Amen.