Monday, January 26, 2026

          Most Christians can easily identify times and places where God provided for them.  We can see and remember the goodness of the Lord.  We can recall moments where God forgave us, comforted us or gave us a clear sense of peace.  Psalm 124 opens with the words, “if the LORD had not been on our side.”  Psalm 124 is called “a song of ascents.”  It was often and usually sung by Israel as a song of praise while approaching the temple in Jerusalem.  It is positioned in the Bible amid several other “psalms of ascent.”  The purpose is to place the people of Israel in a proper frame of mind and spirit to approach the Lord and His temple. In singing these words, the people would remember and consider the many times when the Lord had been on their side.
         Today, we can grow as followers of Jesus by taking time to remember when the Lord has been on our side.  When has He listened to us as we prayed?  When has He received our worship?  When has He spoken to us from His Word as we read and studied Scripture? The last few days have been rather different.  We followed an approaching, even historic, ice storm and then watched it unfurl from our homes.  The storm gave us a momentary pause or moment of rest—safely inside with the full confidence that God still reigned upon his throne.
         For parents, consider when God has been on your side as you love and raise your children in ways that are good, kind, gentle and loving.  For people who struggle with the burdens and demands of jobs that never seem to go away, consider when and how God has been on your side.  Romans 8:28 reminds us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”  Paul plainly reminds us that God is good and stands on the side of His people. God neither abandons nor forgets His people.  He knows us by name and even knows the hairs upon our head.
         The presence of the Holy Spirit in and with believers is yet another indication that God is on our side.  Jesus promised in John 14 that the Father would send a comforter and counselor to abide with us forever.  The early disciples celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  Jesus does not send us alone into the world to be His hands and feet. No, He goes with us in the form and person of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18).
         An important part of worship, as Israel recognized, is remembering what God has done and where God has touched our lives.  We remember His grace and forgiveness.  We remember that He forgave us—even at the awful price of not sparing His Son so that we might be saved and redeemed from our sins.  When we remember that the Lord is on our side, we can pause immediately for a moment of worship and thankfulness.  If today has you icebound, take out a piece of paper and recall as many ways and times as you can where the Lord has been on your side.  You may be surprised by all that you remember.  Psalm 77:11 says, “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles long ago.”  Our faith grows as we remember.  Psalm 143:5 says, “I remember the days of long ago; I will meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.”  As you remember the many times when the Lord has been on your side, you may take great comfort in seeing that He is with you now—in your youth or older age, in times of clarity of confusion and in times of celebration and sorrow.  Have a great Monday!