Watching Out For God’s Steadfast Love
BRD REFLECTIONS:
(Rev Gladwin Lee)
READ:
The following four verses caught my attention: Exodus 1:13-17 and in particular Psalms 52:1
“Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day.” (Psalms 52:1, ESV)
OBSERVE:
Psalm 52 praises God for his enduring steadfast love while Exodus 1 describes the Egyptians’ oppression of the Israelites.
Is it really true that God’s steadfast love continues to endure all day long? To communicate the continual stream of God’s love, translations such as the NKJV describe this verse in the following way: “The goodness of God endures continually.”
I must confess that I am smitten with happy and perfect story endings. That is why I wonder: is it really possible for me to declare God is good and steadfast in love when there is so much evil around us?
Wicked people are mentioned in both readings for today – Exodus 1 and Psalm 52. These people boast of evil and plot the destruction of God’s people. Yet I am reminded that although these people may reign in power and their evil plans may strike fear and trembling in god-fearing people, their wickedness does not diminish the goodness or power of God.
God continues to be good and sovereign even when there is evil. In a variety of ways and in his divine time, he is able to protect and deliver his people, such as through men like Moses, and women like the Hebrew midwives and Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2). God has the power to break down and uproot evil regimes.
APPLY:
- I must learn not to lose heart nor allow fear to rule in my heart. Instead, I should walk by faith by watching out for the goodness of God in our lives.
- Sometimes watching out for God’s goodness in our lives also means realising that God could be calling me to participate in his acts of goodness for others, for example by speaking up against deceptive methods or calling out acts of injustice or by using our talents, gifts and resources to advocate for the marginalised among us, such as migrant workers and domestic helpers.
DO:
I will choose not to lose heart when I read or hear about injustice or ungodly behaviour. Rather, I will choose to intercede in prayer, and consider how God wants me to intercede practically as well.
PRAY:
I feel led to share this song ‘Sovereign over us’ by Michael W. Smith for us to sing prayerfully:
There is strength within the sorrow
There is beauty in our tears
And you meet us in our mourning
With a love that cast out fear
You are working in our waiting
You’re sanctifying us
When beyond our understanding
You’re teaching us to trust
Your plans are still to prosper
You have not forgotten us
You’re with us in the fire and the flood
You’re faithful forever
Perfect in love
You are sovereign over us
