Remember!

Remember!

I will remember the works of the LORD: Surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, And talk of thy doings. Psalm 77:11‭-‬12 KJV 

Context and Charge:

This psalm is credited to Asaph, songwriter and maybe a leader of a choir. When you read some of the psalms credited to him, you will realise he had some amazing words, which came from his personal encounters with the God he wrote about. This is where it has to start: a personal encounter with God. Until you have that, all you have are mere words. When you have had it, the experience stays with you for the rest of your life. Can I say with certainty, that I have had my personal encounter of God? It cannot be another person's story; it has to be my own. It also cannot be a flash in the pan, but a daily experience. 

I need to have that in place for all the storms that are bound to come. Let no one be deceived into thinking that being on God's side insulates you from trouble; in fact, that thinking will be tested several times, so I have to be sure of who I have believed. Asaph here had seasons of doubt; it was as if God had forgotten him. In his own words, maybe God had forgotten to be merciful. The cure? Take a look back and recall all the amazing things God has done in the past. God's dealings with me in the past is the assurance I have for the present and the future. The fact that He has done me good in the past means that by his nature, He can't fail. 

Conviction and Conclusion:

It is God's nature that breeds the confidence to hold on, and to recall all that God has done in the past. His wonders of old can be repeated, because He is the same yesterday, today and forever, but He is not bound to repeat the past exactly the same way. Even though they were most likely contemporaries, God did not deal with Asaph and David the same way. Though Abraham and Isaac were father and son, they did not have the same experiences, but at the end of their lives, they knew, of a truth, that God had been good. They had their personal stories, but they also had that personal encounter, and today, their lives have become lessons for us to follow. 

What steps do I need to take to be able and qualified to speak of God's dealings? Asaph made up his mind to meditate on all the work of God; note that work is in singular, not plural. All God does flow from his nature, power and wisdom. If he allows it, He has a use for it. It won't happen otherwise. When I have considered his work, I can speak of His doings. If I don't know the God I want to speak about, what would I say? As someone once said, "You cannot talk my talk until you have walked my walk." Nothing beats speaking from a place of experience, and when God has dealt with me, I cannot but speak of His grace, favour and mercy.  What do you know of this God? God's time of favour is here.