Thursday 31 March 2022

Psalm 110

Background

Verse 22 ("Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob") catches our attention. We live busy lives and in all our daily activity our relationship with God can get put on hold.

Quite why the Israelites did not call upon God is not evident from this passage. It could have been out of forgetfulness, it could have been out of guilt and shame due to sinful behaviour. It is not clear.

Yet God remembers them. And at the beginning of today's passage people are invited to remember God and what God has done for them. Before the passage starts, in verse 16, the example given is of the Exodus, when God parted the Red Sea and allowed the Israelites to escape from their Egyptian slavemasters.

God invites us to remember, but then in verse 18 says exactly the opposite: "Do not remember the former things". Why? Because "I am about to do a new thing" (v. 19).

Just imagine what the original recipients of these words might have felt. The Exodus was something that defined and united the Jewish people, that indicated that they were God's chosen people. But now God is telling them that they "ain't seen nothing yet".

To try and suggest the magnitude of what will happen, Isaiah continues with the imagery of water, but reverses the idea. Instead of the water disappearing as the Red Sea parted to allow the people to cross, he says water will appear in a dry land. Instead of the return of the water to drown the Egyptian army, the water will bring life to the wilderness and quench the thirst of the wild animals there. Not just that –it will be "drink to my chosen people" (v. 20). All in all, it points to a dramatic change.

The second half of today's passage is also one of contrasts from the disobedience of people (verses 22-24) to the forgiving nature of God (verse 25), in spite of the evident guilt of the people (verses 26-28).

And the one who will do this is Jesus. How can we possibly forget?

To Ponder:

• If you are a person for whom life is hectic, find some time, even just a few moments, for God. You can use something you do habitually as a reminder or an opportunity – such as waiting for the kettle to boil, queuing in the supermarket, doing the washing up.

• God reveals a dramatic change in the way that God will interact with people. How has God worked in your life?  And what has the effect been – minor or major?

• God gives "drink to my chosen people". What does the refreshing God-given water of life mean to you? And how might you describe it to others?

First published in 2013.