April 24, 2017

ZOOM OUT FROM YOURSELF AND YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES TO FOCUS ON GOD'S FAITHFULNESS

Psalm 77

Alison Cooper
Monday's Devo

April 24, 2017

Monday's Devo

April 24, 2017

Central Truth

If our perspective is zoomed in on ourselves or our circumstances, we will always be disappointed and unsatisfied. If we instead shift our focus to God’s character, past faithfulness, and future promises, His presence, peace, and comfort will follow. 

Key Verse | Psalm 77:10–13

Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
(Psalm 77:10-13)

Psalm 77

In the Day of Trouble I Seek the Lord

To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

I cry aloud to God,
    aloud to God, and he will hear me.
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
    in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
    my soul refuses to be comforted.
When I remember God, I moan;
    when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah

You hold my eyelids open;
    I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
I consider the days of old,
    the years long ago.
I said, 1 77:6 Hebrew lacks I said “Let me remember my song in the night;
    let me meditate in my heart.”
    Then my spirit made a diligent search:
“Will the Lord spurn forever,
    and never again be favorable?
Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
    Are his promises at an end for all time?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
    Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah

10  Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
    to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” 2 77:10 Or This is my grief: that the right hand of the Most High has changed

11  I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
    yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12  I will ponder all your work,
    and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13  Your way, O God, is holy.
    What god is great like our God?
14  You are the God who works wonders;
    you have made known your might among the peoples.
15  You with your arm redeemed your people,
    the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

16  When the waters saw you, O God,
    when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
    indeed, the deep trembled.
17  The clouds poured out water;
    the skies gave forth thunder;
    your arrows flashed on every side.
18  The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
    your lightnings lighted up the world;
    the earth trembled and shook.
19  Your way was through the sea,
    your path through the great waters;
    yet your footprints were unseen. 3 77:19 Hebrew unknown
20  You led your people like a flock
    by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Footnotes

[1] 77:6 Hebrew lacks I said
[2] 77:10 Or This is my grief: that the right hand of the Most High has changed
[3] 77:19 Hebrew unknown

Dive Deeper | Psalm 77

I bought my nephew a wordless book called Zoom. Each page has a picture and the page that follows “zooms” out a bit further to show a broader context. On each page, you think you know where you are, but your perspective is too nearsighted. Asaph does a similar thing in Psalm 77 while in distress. He begins by focusing on himself and his problems, even questioning the Lord six times. He wonders if the Lord has rejected him and if His promises have failed. Asaph then shifts his focus and “zooms out” to God’s power and past faithfulness.

When I am in distress or dissatisfied with my circumstances, you can bet I’m zoomed in on me and likely going down a path of questioning God’s love and plans for me. (Am I in good company yet?) Though God isn’t afraid of my questions and doubts, it’s important for me not to stay fearful and doubtful. Like Asaph, I need to make the crucial shift in my thoughts/perspective from:

• Fixation on myself to meditation on Him (Hebrews 12:2)

• Present circumstances to recalling His past faithfulness (Psalm 111:7-9)

• The temporal to the eternal, remembering this life is like a mist (James 4:14)

• A posture of entitlement to one of gratitude and humility (Hebrews 12:28-29)

• Words of complaint to words of worship (Psalm 100)

• Thoughts of fear and doubt to assurances of trust and faith (Philippians 4:6-8)

Zoom ends in outer space, which reminds me that when I think I know where I am, or what the next page will look like, only He sees the FULL picture—from the tiniest details to the end of the book.

I challenge you . . . don’t look horizontally to other things to fill your emptiness and don’t look down at your circumstances. Instead, lift your eyes UP to Him and His faithfulness. Because of what He’s shown us through His Word and His ultimate display of love and faithfulness on the cross, we can trust He has written us into the best story of all time. A story with quite an ending that is better than we can imagine.  

Discussion Questions

1. When has God personally displayed His faithfulness and love to you? Write down past examples, including stories in the Bible that stir your affection for His mighty works and wonderful deeds. Read them when you begin to question Him and His plans for you.  ​

2. The battle begins in our mind, and like the saying goes, “Don’t believe everything you think.” What lies do you believe about yourself or the Lord that cloud your vision when in distress? What truths can you dwell upon to remind you of His goodness? Use this Lies and Truths guide as a place to start.  

3. Do you believe God has a purpose and a plan for your circumstances and that He is big enough, good enough, and wise enough to handle them? How can you seek more of His view versus your own today?​

4. What Scripture can you commit to memory to remind you of God’s power, love, and faithfulness?