Renungan Senin, 14 Maret 2022, Psalm 107:3+8

Psalm 107:3+8

and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.

Psalm 107, a community hymn of praise, was most likely a liturgy of thanks offered by worshipers at a festival at the temple in Jerusalem. Four groups of people appear in its verses, together representing, perhaps, the four points of the compass and the “redeemed of the Lord”, who were coming from east, west, north, and south. They gathered in from the lands to the land, from west, east, north and south to Jerusalem.

What is the reason of this gathering? Because of His steadfast love. They would like to worship and thank God, as many times mentioned: O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for his steadfast love endures forever (107:1; 118:1-4; 136:1; 100:5; 106:1; Jer 33:11). His steadfast love beyond of what we are thinking and hoping. No one could give this kind of love in the world. The aim of God’s steadfast love is redeeming, like a man redeemed his child who was taken by someone and should pay some money to get this child back to his arm. Like to redeem a land that he inherit from the father (Lev. 25:25-34; Ruth 2:10). What is yours must be yours and of course you will think how to get it back and must back.

The Israel thank the Lord for His steadfast love that redeemed them from slavery, from the difficulties, and sufferings. They are brought into the holy and fertile land, where they will live in joy and freedom. Can you imagine how happy they were? It is like you are freed from final test, or from punishment, and something that make you unhappy, tight hour, and sufferings. It is like you are freed of someone from a massive debt that you couldn’t paid.

Today we are gathered together form different parts of the place. I don’t know where you are now, and I don’t know whether you are in or out of this thankful worship. But today the text remind us about our thanks giving to God, for He is good and his steadfast love forever and ever. We thank God for his wonderful works to humankind. God always does the best works for us. Especially in facing the mid-term, you must believe that the only God could bring you to the best works and result, therefore, no cheating, no plagiarism, and no liars, but you do all in honesty, work-hard, and believe in God’s best works in you.

Worship is to worship God to pleased God not to please ourselves. Mid-term also could be a worship to God, to present Him the best after you learn with your lecturers manytimes. This worship is only to God not to the other gods that can take our attention from God and to ruin our worship this morning. When we worship God, there must be no personal interests, like: not like to sing because the song is too old, not like to pray because no one could see and hiding behind the off camera. How pity our worship if during these years we do not worship God truly. When we worship God it is to worship God alone, praise Him, adore Him, and bow before Him, and ready to do God’s will. To worship God not only ritually but we must enter the actual worship, to do His will in our daily life, we have to do self-denial, to bring behind what to please our mind and heart. To worship God not performance for others. It is our intimate relationship between the congregations and God. Therefore, we need some good preparations: to sit in silence and pray, to avoid other activities, listen to the words of the Lord, and asking for the Holy Spirit to guide us to do the will of the Lord.

For we could not do the will of God from our efforts or our strength but from the Holy Spirit in surrender of life and willing to do what the Holy Spirit’s will from God. We do the will of God only by His mercy (Ef. 2:8-9).

Anytime we worship God, don’t do it in pretending or hypocrites. We must worship Him, just to please Him. When worship is done in hypocrites, there must be evil working in your life to bring you far and farer from God and asking you to please the will of evils. Now please choose whether you want to worship God and please Him or just because of attendance list? Train yourself and see the beauty of God who works in you with His steadfast love and redeem you to be His heir, to inherit the Kingdom of God and the everlasting life. Amen.

Pdt. Dr. Benny Sinaga