A Heart of Gratitude: Embracing God's Deliverance.

Let us pray.

Father, we acknowledge that there have been moments of distress and sorrow in our lives, but just as You delivered the psalmist, You have delivered us. You have rescued our souls from death, our eyes from tears, and our feet from stumbling. For this, we give You all the glory and honor. We say this in Jesus name. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be always acceptable in thy sight, O LORD our strength and our redeemer. Amen.

Please be seated.

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Have you ever found yourself in a moment of deep distress, feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of life? Perhaps you’ve experienced a time when you called out for help, and in your darkest hour, you felt a God lifting you up.

We enter a Psalm that reflects Despair and Gratitude, Distress and Deliverance and finally Thanksgiving and Vows.

This psalm invites us into the intimate conversation between the psalmist and God, where we witness a profound journey from despair to gratitude. Let us begin by diving into the words of the psalmist, who declares, “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice; and my pleas for mercy.”

Psalm 116 1s a spiritual lifeline. Just as a lifeline provides a direct connection to safety, the psalmist's cry to God represents a direct line of communication with the divine. The psalmist expresses love for the Lord because God listens and responds to his pleas, much like how a lifeline offers immediate support in times of need.

Our lifeline is also a rescue from danger. Here we can see a form of spiritual rescue, providing salvation and relief from suffering or from peril.

God hears our cries and is faithful to deliver us. This psalm encourages us to trust in God's saving power and to respond with a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving.

In Verses 1-2: Notice that the psalmist gives an expression of love to the LORDand a commitment to call on the LORD (how many times?) as many times as needed and until his last breath. Here he has grasped what a loving relationship with God really implies.

Our love for God is strengthened and it is highlighted in this Psalm by these words... “he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.”

We believe that God is always listening and attentive to our prayers, offering comfort and guidance in times of need. Through faith, we trust that our heartfelt petitions reach Him and are met with divine understanding and care.

Jesus is seen as the ultimate fulfillment of the psalmist's experience of God's attentive and merciful response to human cries for help.

We now travel in this Psalm from Personal Love and Gratitude to the picture of Distress and Deliverance.

Many years ago, in my military service as an enlisted troop, I found myself in a financial situation that seemed insurmountable. I had taken out a loan and did not realize the amount of interest that was required to pay it back. There was only so much money in my paycheck and the bills were piling up. I felt a deep sense of distress and hopelessness.

One evening, as I sat at my kitchen table, staring at the stack of bills, I felt completely overwhelmed. I didn’t know how I was going to make it through the next month. The weight of my worries was crushing, and I felt utterly alone.

In my moment of despair, I decided to pray. I asked for strength and guidance. The next day, I received an unexpected call from a buddy who offered me an off duty job. It was not a full-time job, but it was enough to get me through the immediate crisis. Over the next few months, I started to do very well and I received a raise from the boss and my crisis was being handled and was being taken care of.

This experience taught me that even in our darkest moments, there is hope. Deliverance may not come in the way we expect, but it does come. My distress led me to a place of greater faith and trust in God’s provision. As we face our own challenges, let us remember that deliverance is always possible, and often, it is just around the corner.

“The snares of death encompassed me” Like a rope it would not release him and his death loomed imminent as the terror of the grave overwhelmed him instilling distress and anguish.

In the midst of this ordeal he states, “Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!” He called on the name of the LORD to save him. He recognized that God was his only hope.

In a place called Gethsemane, Jesus experienced the anguish of death and called out to God in His suffering. Just as Jesus was honest about His anguish and sought God's help, we too can bring our deepest fears and sorrows to God in prayer. His resurrection is a source of hope and assurance that God is with us in our suffering and will bring us through it.

In verses 5-9 The Psalmist testifies about his salvation. We see that the psalmist first focuses on three character qualities of God. “Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful.”

Gracious as to be inclined to be favorable toward His own people. Righteous and do what is right with His people. Merciful, and tender in sympathies to His people.

The LORD preserves or protects His people from harm. He preserves the simple. That is to say that God protects the person who is childlike in his dependence on Him. Proverbs 3:5 reminds us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

Just as a child trusts their parent without question, we are called to place our unwavering trust in God, knowing He will provide and guide us through every step of our journey.

“I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.” His life now spared, the psalmist purposed to walk before the LORD in uprightness. Here is a vow of obedience to the LORD. He was delivered from the jaws of death by the LORD.

Our ultimate deliverance from death, was Jesus’ resurrection and through Him, believers are given the promise of eternal life, walking “in the land of the living.”

We now move to a portion of the psalm where the Psalmist describes his faith which he used to call on the LORD, and his surrender to God.

Have you ever thought of what it means to surrender totally to God?

“Total surrender to God” means yielding every aspect of our lives to His will, trusting in His divine plan, and living in obedience to His commandments with unwavering faith.

Let us hear the words in verse 10 and 11. In these verses, the psalmist maintains faith in God despite experiencing severe distress. This highlights the theme of unwavering belief even in difficult times. "I believed, even when I spoke: 'I am greatly afflicted.'"

While humans may fail and deceive, God's faithfulness remains constant.

"I said in my alarm, 'All mankind are liars.'" In a moment of panic or distress, the psalmist expresses a sense of betrayal or disillusionment with humanity, emphasizing the contrast between human unreliability and divine faithfulness.

Believers are encouraged to follow Jesus' example by turning to prayer and trusting in God during times of distress. Jesus’ prayers in Gethsemane and His final words on the cross ("Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" - Luke 23:46) are models of this trust.

We as a Christian community are called to support one another in times of distress, reflecting Jesus’ love and compassion. This communal support can help individuals maintain their faith.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare workers faced unprecedented challenges and risks. One such worker, let's call her Sarah, was a nurse who worked tirelessly in the ICU, caring for critically ill patients. Despite the fear and uncertainty, Sarah remained committed to her duty, often working long hours and sacrificing time with her family.

Sarah contracted COVID-19 herself and experienced severe symptoms. She was hospitalized and faced a difficult battle with the virus. During her illness, Sarah prayed fervently, asking for strength and healing. She promised that if she recovered, she would dedicate herself even more to serving others and giving thanks to God for her life.

Miraculously, Sarah recovered and was able to return to work. She felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for her recovery and the support she received from her colleagues, family, and community. In response, Sarah decided to fulfill her vows to the LORD.

Remember 2020 and how we all were afraid? We were all like Sarah afraid of the plague called COVID -19. But thank the LORD we are here today and worshipping the LORD for our strength in faith and His deliverance from sickness.

How can we repay the LORD? How do we give thanks to the LORD?

The Psalmist also asks the same question.

His answer... lift up the cup of Salvation and call out the name of the LORD.

What is YOUR cup that you lift up to the LORD?

Many years ago, during the Last Supper, Jesus lifted up His cup. This cup symbolized the new covenant which was His blood, which is the ultimate “cup of salvation” for humanity.

Jesus' offering of His blood is seen as the ultimate act of love and redemption. We as Children of God should be jumping in the aisles and responding to this gift with boundless gratitude, recognizing that it is through Jesus' sacrifice that we are reconciled with God…our ransom is paid in full! Hallelujah!

Let us reflect on verses 15 and 16. It suggests that the death of those who are faithful to God is valuable and significant to Him. It implies that God cares deeply about His followers and their ultimate fate. The term "precious" indicates that their death is not meaningless or overlooked but is of great importance to God. It can be seen as a comforting message to believers, affirming that their lives and deaths are in God's hands and are honored by Him.

In this verse, the psalmist declares his dedication and service to God, following the example set by his mother. This indicates a generational faith and commitment to serving God. The phrase "you have loosed my bonds" can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically.

Literally, it could refer to being freed from physical captivity or bondage. It could signify liberation from sin, or any form of spiritual or emotional bondage.

Let us consider the lighthouse keeper as an example of a servant of the LORD.

The duties of a lighthouse keeper is to keep the light burning, to clean the lens, and to make sure the lighthouse is in good working order.

We can compare this duty to the “servant of the LORD,” who is tasked with maintaining their faith, spreading the light of God's word, and ensuring their spiritual life is in good order.

The lighthouse keeper is required to guide ships safely to shore, preventing them from crashing into rocks or getting lost at sea.

Similarly, the servant of the LORD guides others towards spiritual safety and salvation, helping them navigate the challenges and dangers of life.

Finally, dedication and vigilance required of a lighthouse keeper, who must be constantly attentive and ready to act, regardless of the weather or time of day.

The same is required of the servants of the LORD, of US who must remain steadfast and vigilant in their faith, always ready to serve and help others.

Our beautiful Gospels depict Jesus as embodying the role of the servant. He heals the sick, feeds the hungry, and teaches about the Kingdom of God, often emphasizing humility and service to others (e.g., Matthew 20:28: "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many").

We conclude this Psalm by hearing the psalmist exhort public praise and vows to the LORD.

Take note of these magnificent words the psalmist says. (Psalm 116:17–19) “I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!”

Just as the lighthouse keeper’s light is a beacon of hope and safety for sailors, the servant of the LORD’s faith and actions are a beacon of hope and guidance for those seeking spiritual direction.

Let us all continue to dedicate ourselves to help others as beacons,... as servants of the LORD to point the way to those looking for spiritual direction.

Let us leave here today with a gratitude to our LORD more than ever, for it is that gratitude that is a response to God's goodness, mercy, and love. Amen.