Reflections on Psalm 107 (Br Peter Anthoney)

In the first line of the third stanza of psalm 107, the psalmist pleads to God:
“O come and deliver your friends”

The psalmist in his pleading is drawing a relationship with God not only as a servant or son but addresses himself as a friend. This psalm, while praising God and appealing for help, establishes in trust and confidence that a relationship in which God is addressed as ‘his friend’ and more than that puts his expectation that God will come and deliver them.

Abraham, Moses and Joshua are called “friends of God”. These people lived their lives for God and completely gave their lives fully for him. They trusted and followed as he had instructed them in complete obedience.

Like the psalmist, we too should have our hope and trust in God who had established His friendship with people like Abraham, Moses and Joshua. We should be able to develop our relationships with God as friend by placing some sort of expectation not only from our side but from the other side too. This has to be built upon by our trust, understanding and self-giving.

How many of us believe that we are having such a relationship with God, that is, to own such a friendship with him, to trust him completely and that he will accept us as His friends.

“To have a friend, we must be a friend first.” Are we being a friend with God? Are we claiming that God is our friend who will walk with us and be with us at all times, in times of difficulties or in times of happiness. God made us for the purpose of knowing and enjoying His presence; so when we live our lives separated from Him because of sin, we may experience great moments of spiritual dryness. Regardless of what we call this experience without God, life becomes empty and meaningless which only God can brighten and make it purposeful.

Therefore, let us strive to build this deep rooted and ever lasting relationship with God. Let us ask God to grant us strength that we will not fail in our relationship with him even when we find ourselves living according to the worthless standards of the world. Let us put our demands in our Lord for his almighty relationship, to continue to become friends and to live our lives faithfully obedient to his will for us and for all mankind.

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Stay tuned for the next post by Br Anthony Liew on 1st Mar 2011.