Journal Entry ~ 07/02/19

1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side- let Israel now say- 
2 if it had not been the LORD who was on our side when people rose up against us, 
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;  - Psalm 124:1-3

This psalmist reminds us to do something we often forget in the drive of life - remember God’s faithfulness. He isn’t just recalling how God saved them alone, he suggests all of “Israel now say.” He starts to remember on his own, but interrupts himself to be sure everyone is joining in together to recall what God has done for them.

One of the most powerful weapons we have to battle the enemies attacks is recalling God’s faithfulness in our past circumstances - that’s why we’re reminded multiple times in scripture to remember. 

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope ~ Lamentations 3:21

One of the great enemies of hope is forgetting God’s faithfulness. We are to call to mind what He has saved us from when we feel the weight of the world upon us. We so easily forget this truth and fix our eyes on the things in front of us. If we are going to have hope in this broken world, then we need to pause frequently and meditate on where we would be without Him. 

The mind has great power to "call to mind" what God has said about Himself and about us - that’s where we find our hope. If we don't, we suffer. Too many people sell that great power short, claiming they can't control their thoughts. So many people in this world are trapped in the thinking of their weak minds, they suffer the defeat from giving in to spiraling thoughts, they cry from the pit of despair, "you don't know what it's like to suffer with this!"  But God knows. And He tells us how to get out of that pit - by calling to mind the goodness of our Lord. 

Over and over He reminds us of this in scripture because He knows our heart so well - He knows our tendency is to forget. Without reminding ourselves of the greatness and grace and power and wisdom of God, we sink into despair, bitterness, and defeat. 

Not only do we need to remind ourselves, but we need to remind others as well.  Have you ever noticed how powerful God's presence is during a testimony?  It's because we are calling to mind the the goodness of God in those moments. We are told to share our stories - over and over again. It's why He calls us to community - so we can call to mind the goodness of the Lord together, reminding one another that He is at work and His promises are true. Our minds alone can be weak at times - we all trip and fall into that pit, we need other believers to shout the stories of God at work down into the pit so that His light can shine and we can see our way out. This is why the psalmist calls out to all of Israel to say it with Him. 

This psalmist understands where Hope is found - in meditating on where we would be without the saving grace of the Lord. If we want to be able to face another difficult day in this broken world, we need to have hope. Our greatest weapon against all of our fears and anxieties is remembering God’s faithfulness to save.  That’s where our Hope is found. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

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