Wandering.... Psalm 107 part 2

Yesterday I began looking at Psalm 107, seeing it with fresh eyes. What incredible encouragement these scriptures give! It begins like many other psalms, "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, His love endures forever..." And then the psalm goes through different groups of people and WHY they are giving thanks. Each group goes through some trial/tribulation. And, as I ponder this, I think about the times in my life when I have experienced trials, and when God brings me through, how much more "LOUD" my praise is!

The first group are wanderers. "Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. " Wow! Have you ever been "wandering?" This reminds me of restless times of my life when I have wandered- wandered from activity to activity, trying to fill the loneliness of my soul, not realizing that it can only be quenched by His amazing love! Unsettled..... Restless...... Homeless- unable to find a place to call home. I am reminded of the verses from Hosea where God leads us into the wilderness IN ORDER TO SPEAK TENDERLY to us. Sometimes we are only ready to listen to Him in the wilderness- away from the hustle and bustle (and cell phones and commitments...) of "city life".

They were "hungry and thirsty." So many other verses come to mind here! "My soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63) Our spirits long for God. We thirst after Him! (That is why my blog is named "Thirsty for Him!) Jesus tells the woman at the well, "Everyone who drinks this water (earthly water) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." Jesus, give me that water! And, Jesus also told us, "Blessed is he who hungers and thirsts after righteousness, for he shall be filled." Hallelujah! God allows us to hunger and thirst so that He can fill us! He allows us to wander so that He can give us a home.

WATCH WHAT COMES NEXT!
"THEN they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to city where they could settle." There's that pesky little "then" again! You see, I need the "then." If I weren't thirsty, I couldn't be filled by Him. If I hadn't wandered, He couldn't have given me the perfect home in Him. (What's that verse? Is it psalms? It was good that I was afflicted.....) Thank You, God that You lead me by a straight way. (Proverbs 3:5- "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Lean not upon your own understanding- that was written just for me!-Acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight.") And, then thank You, Lord that You settle me. You fill me with the peace that passes all understanding. You "quiet me with Your love." You satisfy the longings of my soul, easing my restlessness, grounding me, sustaining me, stabilizing me, settling me. Thank You, God!

"Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things."

Father God, praise You! Thank You! Thank You for Your UNFAILING love! Your love never fails! Thank You for the wonderful deeds You have done in my life! Thank You that You alone truly satisfy me and that You fill me with GOOD THINGS. You are so patient. You draw me back "home" each time I wander away from Your love. Why do I do that? Forgive me, Father, for the times I have turned to other things to satisfy me- food, praise of man, activities..... Thank You for the blood of Jesus Christ which covers all my sin and cleanses me from all unrighteousness. Lord, I pray for my sisters. I lift up all other Believers who are wandering, bring them back to the source of satisfaction, to the Living Water. Lord, I lift up the lost- oh, how they need You. Father, draw them to Yourself. Shine Your Light in their hearts. How we can go through life wandering, thirsting, looking to the world to fill us... Thank You for Jesus. Thank You, Jesus. You are precious. I love You. In Your sweet Name, Name above all names, I pray. Amen.