Corona Devo 110

10 Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.

11 He brought Israel out of Egypt.  His faithful love endures forever.

12 He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.  His faithful love endures forever.

13 Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.  His faithful love endures forever.

14 He led Israel safely through, His faithful love endures forever.  

15 but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.  His faithful love endures forever.

16 Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.  His faithful love endures forever.  ~Psalm 136:10-16

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Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt.  His faithful love endures forever.   ~Psalm 136:10.

At first glance, this verse is heavy and harsh and violent.  God is love, and God is good, right?  But what people often forget, or do not want to acknowledge is that God is holy.  He will not put up with continued sin.  His people (the Israelites) were being mistreated and wronged by the Egyptians for a long time.  We may wonder if the Lord sees our unjust situations.  He does.  And it is His prerogative to correct them.  We often want to seek retribution or revenge when we have been hurt or mistreated, or treated unfairly.  But God asks us to lay our burdens and frustrations and injustices down at His feet, and he will take care of them in His time. (It is mine to avenge; I will repay.  In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.  ~Deuteronomy 32:35)

He will handle it.  And He did handle it for the Israelites.  The Egyptians had mistreated them for long enough, and through a series of plagues, God gave the Egyptians opportunities to repent, but they chose not to.  If we have those kind of people in our lives--it's hard to find peace in situations related to them.  But the Lord commands us to leave it to Him.  

And...have you had a situation where the Lord freed you from someone that was unjust?  It could be a physical freeing, or in mentally/emotionally laying it down before Him, He frees us emotionally and spiritually.  

11 He brought Israel out of Egypt.  His faithful love endures forever.  ~Psalm 136:11

He brought the Israelites out of their captivity.  He brought them out of the place that had enslaved them.  He does this for us too.  The Lord gives us these words today to remind us of the times and places that He has brought us through and brought us out of.  Situations that held us captive that He led us out of.  Look back over your life, and thank the Lord for what he has "brought you out of".  His faithful love endures forever.  ~Psalm 136:11

12 He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.  His faithful love endures forever.  ~Psalm 136:12

God is not wimpy or pithy or weak.  God is all-knowing and He is all-powerful.  He knows our situations and when (His) timing is right--He will act with a strong hand and powerful arm.  We may be in a situation (our Egypt) for longer than we wish to be, but His timing is perfect.  He may be teaching us something in the wait, or developing us.  But when He moves, it is with purpose and power.  And for those who are on the other side of His strong hand and powerful arm--look out.  

13 Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.  His faithful love endures forever.  14 He led Israel safely through, His faithful love endures forever.   ~Psalm 136:13-14

Today, remember back to a time when God parted a sea for you.  When He made a way for you to move through something difficult, or even seemingly impossible or impassable.  When He parted the Red Sea for the Israelites it was not a one-time deal.  He opens up paths that we never knew were there.  He makes a way for us.    

15 but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.  His faithful love endures forever.  ~Psalm 136:15

Again, God will handle our enemies.  It is not our job to get even.  He sees all and He knows people's hearts.  He will handle things and people in His time and in His way. 

 

16 Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.  His faithful love endures forever.  ~Psalm 136:16

Can you remember (and praise the Lord) for a wilderness that the Lord has led you through?  Once we have emerged from a wilderness time in our lives, we can see the progression of God leading us out of it.  In the middle of it, there can be difficulty distinguishing the progression, but in looking back, we can clearly see how He led us.

Or perhaps you are in the wilderness right now.   Maybe spiritually or emotionally you are in a wasteland.  You are far from happiness or contentment or wholeness.  

Even while we (feel) stranded in the wilderness, we can give thanks to the Lord for leading us through it.  He is doing that now, even if we cannot feel it.  His faithful love endures forever.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com/