“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary”

Psalm 107:1-2

In one of the hardest seasons of my life in which God has been disciplining me and growing me, this verse keeps coming to mind. This time of discipline follows a time of sin in which I trusted my own thoughts and ways and disregarded what God might have for me. Though I knew God’s thoughts are higher than my thoughts and his ways higher than my ways (Is. 55:8-9), I still chanced trying my own way. But shocker, my sin of selfishness and replacing God on the throne of my heart with people and worldly satisfaction turned out to not satisfy. My freedom-I thought that is what it was at least-turned out to confine me instead.

However, in God’s great grace, instead of letting me continue in seeking satisfaction in things that were never meant to satisfy, he caused a drought on those things and caused me to cry out for help in my distress.  And he rescued me from my own slavery. Redeemed me from my iniquity. He is restoring my soul. Healing my heart. Setting me free to once again worship him with a pure heart.

Yes that sounds all beautiful and sweet, but it hasn’t come without pain and sorrow. Hebrews 12:11 says “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” For the moment?! Really? This has felt much longer than just a moment. But I love that because in the grand scheme of eternity it is just a moment. And that moment, however long it may feel presently, is worth it because Hebrews 12:10 says God “disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.” What? That I can share in HIS holiness?! This broken, sinful girl who is being disciplined as a result of her rebellion and disobedience against God….this same God wants me to share in his holiness?

Hence why Psalm 107:1-2 has been on my mind. If that is not everlasting love, then I don’t know what is. The more I become aware of my sin and brokenness, the more I realize how much I need Jesus. I used to wonder how God could still love me after seasons of sin. I would come back to him fearfully and timidly, afraid to look because what if that was the final straw. Surely God couldn’t still love me. Surely he has left me to fend for myself now.

Ever been there?

But here is the beautiful thing that has happened to me. The more I sin and have to repent and turn back to God, the more I am sure of his unfailing love for me. Now I say “you haven’t left me yet, so surely you never will.”  Yes this is my experience, but this experience is also what God says over and over. “I will never leave you and I will never forsake you.” And I’ve found this to be true for me over and over and over again. And now I can “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that [I]  may receive mercy and find grace to help [me]  in [my] time of need.” Hebrews 4:16.

And I can boldly proclaim to everyone, “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary.”

I am one of those redeemed children. He is good! Trust me! His love really is everlasting. He is my great Redeemer.

As I read Psalm 107 this morning, I realized again how not alone in this I am as I realized this is the story of all of God’s children. He has redeemed all of us. It will look different for each of us. But we must accept the truth that we have all sinned and fallen short of his glory and are in need of his grace. We must let him redeem us and let his grace cover our shame and guilt. We must let his love be enough. Because it is enough.

Four times in Psalm 107, the psalmist says “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He delivered them out of their distresses.” And then each of those verses is followed by “Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness and for his wonders for the sons of men.” So there it is. There is our response to God rescuing us and redeeming us. Give thanks. Let his love fill us and satisfy us the way it was always meant to.

Yes, God can and will change rivers into a wilderness and springs of water into thirsty ground (Ps 107:33) if that is what it will take for us to return. But not because he is a tyrant and just wants us to obey him and follow a bunch of rules but because He is the only one who can satisfy the thirsty soul and fill the hungry soul with what is good. (Psalm 107:9). And then the same God who caused the drought, “changes the wilderness into a pool of water and a dry land into springs of water, and there He makes the hungry to dwell.” (Psalm 107:35-36). Seriously, how great is our God?

I couldn’t help but write a song about God’s redemption last night. Then I read this verse this morning: “Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of His works with joyful singing.” (Psalm 107:22). I meannnn come on! Does it get any sweeter? His redemption really does cause us to sing joyfully and praise Him. And in a way, the joy of His redemption makes me thankful for my sin because of the sweetness of his grace toward me.

Here is my song: “Redeemed” by Kirby McDaniel