Psalm 107:15-16 - October 18, 2009

Ps 107:15-16 “Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, 16 for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.” NIV

Can you imagine being loved with a love so strong that it cannot fail? Can you imagine being cared for so completely that nothing can separate you from that love? It can always reach you. It can always find you. It always knows your needs and how to meet you. We are loved with a love so deep that it cannot fail. We are valued by our creator so completely that nothing can keep us from that love. Paul sought to communicate this truth to us in Rom 8:35-39 where he wrote “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” NIV
Psalm 107:15-16 is written in the knowledge of this love. It celebrates the reality that true love is manifested in its actions. God has not only declared His love for us in overwhelming display of self-sacrifice. And it is this love that the Psalmist calls us to be thankful for. Jesus Himself spoke of love and stated that nature of the deepest kind of love. In John 15:12-13 he taught His disciples: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” NIV He identified the ultimate love message and then He took up the cross and set the example for us by laying down His life. John 3:16 identifies the compelling force behind this act and removes any doubt as to God’s motive in sending Christ to die for us. John 3:16 states "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” NIV
The greatest expression of love possible was shown on our behalf and that is just the beginning of the statements of love directed to us by the Father. I John celebrates the love demonstrated by the fact that we are called the sons of God through the Adoption of His Spirit. The gospels declare that Christ demonstrated the measure of His love for the disciples when He put on a towel for garment and washed the disciple’s feet. His love was seen in how he protected the woman caught in adultery, gave the mourning mother back her son and wept with Mary and Martha at the grave of Lazarus. Psalm 107 sees into the love of God with eyes of faith and calls us to be thankful! How can we not lift up praise as we reflect on these and the endless number of other examples of God’s love that are available to us.
As this Psalm continues it draws our attention to one of the manifestations of God’s love that cannot be overlooked and must be celebrated with both joy and faith. The Psalmist declares in Psalm 107:16 “he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.” NIV One of the most compelling statements of God’s love for us is His power and willingness to deliver us! God wants to set you free. God longs to see you walking in the liberty that was purchased for you through the cross. The word of God gives us such compelling insight into the measure of the love of God that with complete certainty we can know that IT IS GOD’S WILL for you to be set free. Paul exalts in this truth in his letter to the Galatians as he writes in Gal 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” NIV GOD WANTS YOU TO LIVE IN FREEDOM! Now that is worth being thankful for! Lift your eyes and your heart confidently into God’s presence today and thank Him in faith for every area of your life coming in to the freedom that was purchased for you on the cross.