“Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. It is not the dead who praise the Lord, those who go down to the place of silence; it is we who extol the LORD both now and forevermore. Praise the Lord.”
Psalm 115: 1, 17-18
When I enter a new season, God likes to do a funny thing with me and physically walk me past buildings or streets that were previously important to me. After accepting my current job, God created a detour in my route to meet some friends so that I would walk past the first job I had in the city, and the venue of an event I planned that I was proud of. He showed me markers in my life where he provided, so that I would remember that this next season would be no different.
In Psalm 115, Israel is being taunted because the gods of the people around them have statues and symbols they can look toward and praise, but Israel’s God (and ours) didn’t have a statue of silver or gold. Despite this, the Israelites knew that their God was still greater—when the others asked where their God was, they reminded them of His position in the heavens.
Our God is seated higher than any idols of this world, and higher than any stresses we might face in our day to day. The Israelites could hold fast to the truth of who God is because they had markers and reminders of God’s faithfulness in their lives. Take the time to look back at your life and point out where God’s hand was evident. Use these milestones to remind yourself of His goodness and praise Him for it.
Brianna Ordenes
Lord, thank you that you are at work in my life. Even when I cannot see it in the moment, I know that I can look back and see your guiding hand. Remind me of your faithfulness in seasons past so that I can have strength for the future. Amen.
