Forgotten?

The Psalms are the prayers of God’s people. They are the God breathed poetry, songs of worship, filled with wisdom that often expresses the deep pain of suffering while basking in the joy of the Lord.

I recently enjoyed reading Psalm 77. In this Psalm, Asaph pours out a lament before the Lord:

Then my spirit made a diligent search: “Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah Psalm 77:7-9

Sometimes sin struggles make us feel isolated, wondering if God loves us. Other times, difficult providences cause us to question God’s presence in our life. We may face circumstances of illness, rejection from the world, and a multitude of other hardships. When we feel the weight of sin and wade through difficult providences, we sometimes ask like Asaph, has God forgotten me?

In a recent sermon at my church on Ephesians 1:3-4, I was reminded to look back to see God’s love . Though the season we are in might look grim, he who chose us before time will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6.)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ 

with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. Ephesians 1:3-4a

Asaph understood this. He looked back and saw God’s love. This was before Jesus came to earth, but he understood God’s covenant with his people and the redemption we have through Christ alone.

Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. Psalm 77:10-11

As he did with Asaph, God opens our mouths to call upon him and praise him in the midst of our sorrow and sin. In difficult providences, though tears may be our food, our souls rejoice in God (Psalm 42.) And rather than casting us off when we sin, he takes away our guilt and makes us sing (Psalm 51.)

Below is a poem born from a time of distress:

Rain on the windows

Echoes the pain in my soul

I feast on tears

I hear the leaves fall

Scattered about

Dry and forgotten

Am I?

Silence engulfs me

Am I alone?

No! You are with me

Draw me nigh

You open my lips

In the rain my soul sings

A song of joy

God calls us to pour out all our concerns before the throne of grace (1 Peter 5:7.) The Psalms exemplify this. What sweet company we have in the Lord! God has been teaching me more of the sweetness of prayer through a study of the book Prayer by O. Hallesby. The following poem is a reflection on what I have gleaned so far from this Scripture rich study. The poem reflects on two of the verses referenced in the book, Revelation 3:20 and Isaiah 65:24.

I heard him knocking

I heard him softly beckon

Calling to sup with him

Life giving bread I've eaten

Sweet wine has touched my lips

In the bosom of my Brother-

Wrapped in grace

With nail pierced hands 

He holds me

His garb of white adorns me

I cry Abba

My Father bends his ear

Before I asked he heard me

My days are written in his book

Although believers struggle with sin and walk through hard providences, we are never forgotten. Through Jesus Christ, the One who was slain for our sins and is risen, all who believe have fellowship with the one living and true God. We dine at his table of grace.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:16