You are the God who performs miracles; you display your powers among the peoples. (Ps. 77:14).
A 2009 STUDY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM found that adults forget an average of three facts, events, or chores every day. Of those three, the location of keys and smartphone topped the list. When something valuable like that is lost, the most sensible course of action is to retrace one’s steps in the hope of finding it. The pertinent questions must be asked: “Where have I been? What was I doing? When did I see or use it last?”
The psalmist has lost something far more valuable than his keys; he’s lost all hope. Silence in the face of his despair left him wondering if the Lord had forgotten him. In desperation, he retraced the steps God had taken with His covenant people thus far, and by doing so the psalmist found strength and hope. After all, this is the God who wrestled with Jacob, who restored Joseph. This same God shook the very foundations of the waters of the Red Sea to deliver the nation of Israel. This God has never failed, and He will not fail now.
When you lose track of something valuable—your identity in Christ, your ability to trust, your confidence in His benevolence or justice—remember who God is and all He has done, not only for you but for all of His people. You will find yourself again.
Before you close this booklet, thank God for the last thing He did for you.
Ruthie Marie Anderson is a junior majoring in biblical and theological studies at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. She enjoys doing yoga, reading science fiction, and making homemade bread while watching Downton Abbey.
© 2018 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
