Scripture: Psalm 77:11-13
But I will remember the LORD’s deeds; yes, I will remember your wondrous acts from times long past. I will meditate on all your works; I will ponder your deeds. God, your way is holiness! Who is as great a god as you, God?
Thought for the Day: As I write this, I am sitting at my desk and looking at a picture of my kid. At the time the picture was taken, Zach was around ten years old. I feel some nostalgia and reminiscent-longing. I think about all that we did, but also the stuff I wish we would have done. I reflect on my successes as a parent, and the many utter failures. There is a little part of me that wants to go back to those years or maybe another moment in the past. I don’t believe that’s necessarily a bad thing. As humans, we have memories and those memories can be powerful and enticing. As I think about scripture, and passages like the one above, I am reminded of all the times people of faith remembered back with fondness. There might even be some sense of escapism, but as I read the words from Psalm 77, I find someone who is struggling in the present. Life is tough, and the person’s spirit longs for God. Remembering can be very helpful, though not as a place where we go and hunker down. Remembering can become for us a lens through which we are able to see the present differently. It might just be a lens of faith that believes what cannot be seen at all in the present moment. It may just be the spiritual encouragement that allows someone to say, “I really cannot perceive God or how God is going to work in this moment, but because of what I know about the past, I believe God’s love and mercy are present here in this moment in spite of what my eyes and mind might be telling me.”
Prayer: In my study and prayer life, I hope to be reminded of who you are, O Gracious and Merciful God. Even when my present circumstance suggests otherwise, I trust that you are the same yesterday, today and forever. Amen.
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