Does God cease to be gracious?
If grace is an intrinsic trait of God’s immutable nature, then logic dictates that the answer is ‘No’. But that answer doesn’ t always make sense.
When you’re “in the day of trouble” and “your soul refuses to be comforted” (verse 1) and thinking of God only causes you to moan (verse 3) and sleep evades you, and trouble steals your joy so that even speaking words escape your capacity ( verse 4), what do you do?
Well, a trouble-filled present can find help from “the good old days”. You can choose to remember. Like the psalmist you can focus this way. “ I consider the days of old and remember the years of long ago”(verse 11). It might be hard to ignore the realist who says that daydreaming is a waste of time, and remembering is an escape route out of reality. Escape if you must, into the past so that the present falls into the perspective of God’ s power to change.
That’s how you play your part. Refuse to accept that you are God forsaken and that the day of trouble will never end. Ask the same question that the psalmist does. “Will the Lord spurn forever and never again be favourable? Has his steadfast love ceased forever? Are his promises at and end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion? And say ‘ it is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed?”(verses 8-10)
Notice. The questions have value. They lead up in sequence to the last- “it is my grief…”
Oh GRIEF! How it changes one’s perspective. How it steals your joy as it seals your view to include only the present daunting , unfriendly, stiffling, crippling reality that you must break through! And the powerful past does help. It helps you get out of the box- trap of the limiting present and gives a glimpse into future possibility- God’s possibility!
So yes. Dream. Dream backwards if that’s what will carry you forward.
“ I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember your wondrous works of old. I will meditate on all your work and muse on your mighty deeds.”(verses 11-12)
When your mind’s eye feasts on its glimpses of the past, it SEES sense, and affirms, “ You are the God who works wonders” (verse 14). It remembers those wonders and looks forward to changed circumstances. Such hope fuels action towards the new direction. Things change.
Better must come when God is in it. Amen.
