Songs of the Soul: A Lent DevotionalSample

I love how the Psalms capture a dialogue of the soul with God in all the raw messiness of human emotions. And yet, it is also redemptive in the relentless hope of the psalmist. That is where you and I live most days. This psalm starts with a sense of insecurity and uncertainty living in a world that is full of threats, seeming injustice, and unkindness: not unlike our present day-to-day.

In the midst of this inner shaking, the psalmist is very cognisant of his emotions and expresses them. God wants us to feel our emotions. The Bible shows us that God Himself also loves, is angry, grieves, feels jealousy and frustration. God doesn’t ask us to ignore our feelings. He invites the rawness and authenticity of being real in front of Him.

But the psalmist also exercised his will: I will come, I will proclaim all the Great Things You have done. God created us as emotional beings who have the authority to exercise our will to choose the right way in response to our insecurities and uncertainties in life. We can wallow or we can will!

We recall all the good and right things God has done; we take time to name those great acts of God, to our own souls and to the next generation.

We recall especially in this season that "(God) chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself...through (Jesus's) blood...according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us." (Ephesians 1:4-8). The Message translation says it this way, “Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in mind….” God was already laying down His Rescue Plan even before the first sin! What Love of the Father who will not let us go! What willingness of the Son to choose to come and inaugurate His New Kingdom back on Earth! What Power of the Spirit to indwell us so that we may declare His Marvelous Deeds to the next generation!

What is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that You care for them? (Psalm 8:4). How blessed are we to be so beloved by God! Hallelujah!

Kwen Ip
Women's Ministry

Prayer:
O Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit - You who have done Great Things, who is like You, God? You are the One and Only, worthy of all praise! Thank You!