When our congregation built our first building, people wrote thankful reminders on the wall studs and concrete floors before the interior of the building was finished. Pull back the drywall from the studs and you’ll find them there. Verse after verse from Scripture, written beside prayers of praise like “You are so good!” We left them there as a witness to future generations that regardless of our challenges, God had been kind and taken care of us.
We need to remember what God has done for us and tell others about it. Isaiah exemplified this when he wrote, “I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us” (Isaiah 63:7). Later, the prophet also recounts God’s compassion for His people throughout history, even telling how “in all their distress he too was distressed” (v. 9). But if you keep reading the chapter, you’ll notice Israel is again in a time of trouble, and the prophet longs for God’s intervention.
Remembering God’s past kindnesses helps when times are hard. Challenging seasons come and go, but His faithful character never changes. As we turn to Him with grateful hearts in remembrance of all He’s done, we discover afresh that He’s always worthy of our praise.
By James Banks
REFLECT & PRAY
What kindnesses has God shown you in the past? How does praising Him for them help you when you’re going through challenging times?
Father, You’re sovereign over all creation. I praise You because Your goodness doesn’t change, and You’re always with me.
Isaiah 63:7–9 form the first part of the prophet Isaiah’s prayer. It follows the pattern of thanksgiving, confession, and supplication (making a request of our heavenly Father). The thanksgiving portion recounts God’s history of caring for Israel. He’s done “many good things” and bestowed “many kindnesses” on them (v. 7). He calls them “my people, children who will be true to me” (v. 8). Verse 10 begins the confession segment of the prayer. “Yet they rebelled and grieved [God’s] Holy Spirit,” laments Isaiah, and he poetically wonders, “Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among [Israel] . . . who divided the waters before them, to gain for himself everlasting renown?” (vv. 11–12). All this is a prelude to Isaiah’s plea for God to again show Himself strong. “Look down from heaven and see,” he says (v. 15). “Return for the sake of your servants” (v. 17).
Tim Gustafson
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