Psalm 107:19-20 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He sent forth his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.

This whole Psalm is a marvelous recitation of the foolishness of man and the grace, mercy, and faithfulness of God. Whatever our circumstances, God intends them to turn our hearts to Him. If things are going well, He wants us to turn to Him in thanks and praise. If things are going badly, (in our eyes at least) He wants us to turn to Him in repentance to receive the help we need. We have such a hard time getting it through our heads that God never picks on us. Everything He does, even everything He allows, is because of His great love and mercy. He has made it clear to me personally that there is much that goes on that He would like to be different, but we are in the age of free will, and we are impacted not only by our own choices but by those of others. However, when by our free will we turn to God and seek Him in all humility, He is then free to act as He would like to, rescuing and blessing us. The important thing in reading this Psalm is to see ourselves in the various types of people mentioned, and recognize God’s great grace toward us. That’s precisely where the song, Amazing Grace, came from: John Newton cried out to the Lord in extreme emergency, God answered, and John Newton responded as God intended, eventually becoming a pastor.

I have had some rough/tight moments, but not as severe as I see some people going through. I’ve got to remember that it’s all just differences of degree, and I am no more innocent than anyone else. I am to turn to God in every situation, whether it feels good to me or bad, and seek His will for how I am to respond to whatever is going on. I am to maintain an awareness of God’s grace, love, and mercy at all times so that my life may be lived in gratitude and praise. Not only does that give God the glory He deserves, it is also the path of greatest blessing for me by far.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the aches and pains I’m experiencing right now, as a reminder of all that You have enabled me to do physically over the past couple of days. Thank You that You will give me the strength of body and will to do everything You have for me today. I ask particularly that You guide me in making this a genuinely happy birthday for my wife, expressing Your love and mine to her in ways that she can recognize and receive it, for her blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!