August 11, 2023 — Psalm 107 

“O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.  Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to an inhabited town; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; he led them by a straight way, until they reached an inhabited town. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things. Some sat in darkness and in gloom, prisoners in misery and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor; they fell down, with no one to help. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress; he brought them out of darkness and gloom, 

and broke their bonds asunder. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. For he shatters the doors of bronze, and cuts in two the bars of iron.” (Verses 1-16) 

“Some sat in darkness and in gloom, prisoners in misery and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God… Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress” 

We often are the ones who place ourselves in the darkness of our times, in the prisons of our minds, and into the gloom that settles upon our souls. It does not always take an outside force to oppress us — we are pretty good at doing that to ourselves as well. 

I am reminded of the short story by E. A. Poe titled “Silence — A Fable”. In this short story, a man sits upon a rock while surrounded by desolation — and he sits there with his head upon his hand, not moved by the scene presented to him — as more and more chaos surrounds him and tries to scare him away. Finally when the man is presented with silence, he flees.  

This short story highlights what I like to call the “irony of silence”. While silence is akin to peace, it can also be a source of angst for many people. There are an abundance of apps for “white noise” so people can sleep at night — but shouldn’t we ache for more silence, and peace? We have been watching a lot of chaos all around us — throughout our country — throughout our world — and we too shudder at the desolation that seems to creep ever so close to so many. But too many of us are also unmoved by the chaos — we just seem to be sitting watching with a numb resolve. 

What happens to us when we finally choose to cry out to G-d for deliverance? Our G-d aches to come to us with that “still, small, voice” to say “Peace be with you — do not doubt, just believe.” 

Prayer 

O God, you are bread to the hungry, deliverance to the captive, healing to the sick, and harbor to every soul in peril. Gather the wanderers from every corner of the world into the community of your mercy and grace, that we may eternally praise you for our salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

Pastor Dave