Say So!

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble” (Psalms 107:1-2 ESV).

Have you ever been someplace to eat and the food was so amazing that you could hardly wait until you got home so that you could tell all of your friends about it? Maybe it was a great band or movie?

I remember going, a couple of years back, to see the one of the latest Star Wars movies on opening day. I’m a bit of a nerd…. I usually go to see them with my daughter, another nerd; we love talking about the things we liked, didn’t like, new characters and plot twists. I can’t remember which of the Star Wars movies it was, but not too long in the past we actually bought the tickets for one showing and were given free tickets to an earlier showing. We saw the 3-hour movie twice, back to back! Of course after we had discussed it we both had to tell our friends.

Admittedly, we probably attach too much importance to sci-fi movies. And looking back, I see how little importance I have placed on my Savior and Lord. God has been so good to me. That’s not to say that I haven’t gone through any hard times! But He has always been faithfully present in the good times and the bad.

I think that most of us have a tendency to ignore God when life is going well. Then when difficult times hit, we wonder why He seems so distant. The truth is He is always near to us. I heard someone say once, “God is never farther away than arm’s length, because only you can push Him away.

What He has done for you and me came at tremendous cost. No one has done or ever could do what He did. It’s easy for us to reminisce about Sunday’s football game, or the latest food, or fashion. We would hate for anyone to miss out on the excitement of the latest movie or Netflix show.

But every day we keep the greatest thing that has ever happened to us a secret. We hide Jesus away in the closet of the spare bedroom, under 10 years of People magazines, lest we face embarrassment or rejection by presenting those around us with the only one who can bring peace and satisfaction to their empty, longing souls. I’m just as guilty, and it’s shameful.

Maybe we need to sit down and spend some time remembering all of the blessings God has bestowed on us, the greatest of which is our forgiveness and salvation. Maybe we need to rediscover the excitement that filled our hearts when our love for Him was new.

We’ve been redeemed, and it’s time we acknowledge that fact… out loud… to anybody who will listen! “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!).

Blessings on your day!