October 13, 2015

“The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger? Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart. Turn, O Lord! How long? Have compassion on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work appear to your servants; your glory to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands. ” Psalm 90:10-17

“Probably the most interesting image in the psalm was the dawn. Compare 90:5b to 90:14. The process of night becoming day can be experienced in the bleakest terms or as a turning point that gave hope. The key is the activity of God. God can turn an experience of futility into one of hope. With God, the dawn doesn’t just bring another day on the tread mill of life; he brings a new day and a new chance at living. Life has its ups and downs. There are patches of tough going and seas of smooth sailing. There are times we ask “Why God?” only to realize that, with faith, he will give us an answer. Dejection is temporary. Hope is eternal.

Reflect on your tough times and your times of blessing. How has God used both to bless you? How has he helped you use those experiences for the good of others?” (Tough Times When has life gotten you down, How do you pull yourself out of your funk? Larry Broding’s Word-Sunday)

It is most likely unnecessary to say this, but life does have its ups and downs. One minute we seem to have everything, the next minute we wonder where it has all gone. The test of the strength of our faith is understanding that tough times and good times can both be blessings to us. But our natural instinct is to run away from difficulties. But then we hear these words in this Psalm:

“Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work appear to your servants…”

It is a real challenge to thank G*d for the difficult times, but as I will point out time and time again, it is through the difficult times and the efforts we put into enduring these times that we flex our faith muscles. You can not grow muscles without working your body – you cannot grow faith muscles without working out your faith when times are tough.

Take time today to consider this question: “How has G*d used good and difficult times to bless your life?”

Pastor Dave