The little Pentecostal church I attended as a child had something we called “testimony services.” Individuals in the church were invited and encouraged to stand up and give a brief word of appreciation for what the Lord had done for them. I can see the faces of some of those people and almost hear their stories to this day… There was Marj, Steve, Les, Mary, Frank, and many others… Oh, and I can’t forget my Dad, Ewalt’s story delivered with a heavy German accent! Just a few of the wonderful accounts of salvation, healing, deliverance, provision and help God faithfully provided in answer to prayer.
Well there’s a Psalm in the Bible that always reminds me of an old-fashioned “testimony service” – Psalm 107. You should read it! There’s the testimony of a homeless and hungry person that God provided for. The testimony of someone else bound by sin and evil habits suffering the consequences of their sin that the Lord delivered. Another person that was healed who had suffered terribly from affliction and disease. And the testimony of a person who had been in danger and peril from a storm at sea – they thought they were going to perish but made it through. All of these simply suggestive of many other situation and circumstances people face where there was a desperate need for the Lord’s mercy and help! And the good news? The Lord came through for them in answer to their cry for help!
The Psalm starts like this… “Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!”
And then what follows in the Psalm has a predictable pattern for each need mentioned – almost an echo!
“Some… (and the situation or circumstance is described) “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress… (and then in each case the “testimony” ends like this…) “Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of men!” Four different situations – four instances of divine provision, deliverance and help!
Finally the Psalm ends with these words: “Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things! Let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord!” (From Psalm 107)
Well, this is what I’ve got to say about that… We need to hear a few more testimonies of God’s grace, faithfulness and provision – His “steadfast love!” If you’ve got a story to tell of something wonderful the Lord has done for you, why not share it with someone today? It will encourage and uplift them – and probably nudge them to believe God for something in their life where God’s help is desperately needed! God still does this kind of stuff, you know… I’m telling you!
If you had to choose between a wonderful destination or an exciting, ongoing adventure, which would you take? … Door #1 or door #2?
