Psalm 107 - Uncertainty

 

Others went out on the sea in ships;
       they were merchants on the mighty waters.

24 They saw the works of the LORD,
       his wonderful deeds in the deep.

25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
       that lifted high the waves.

26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
       in their peril their courage melted away.

27 They reeled and staggered like drunken men;
       they were at their wits' end.

28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
       and he brought them out of their distress.

29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;
       the waves of the sea were hushed.

30 They were glad when it grew calm,
       and he guided them to their desired haven.

31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
       and his wonderful deeds for men.

As a young tennis player Roger Federer showed great promise but won relatively little. His performances on court were often characterized by violent outbursts; arguing with the umpire, and frequently breaking his racquet. However, the imperious Roger Federer that most of us have had the privilege of watching over the last five years is very different. During the games he maintains an incredible serenity as he glides through the sets cruising to victory. Interviewed before the last Wimbledon championships he shed light on this contrast saying that as a young player he was “at odds with himself, frustrated and angry on the court”, but now – he went on to say – he feels a sense of peace and control on court that brings the best out of him.

These verses are a vivid image of chaos and strife. The Israelite nation viewed the sea as an intimidating force that represented all the powers of disorder in God’s world and in these verses merchant traders are caught in a violent storm at sea. The traders are ‘at their wits’ end’ and all courage has melted away. Yet for all the apparent chaos and disorder things are not out of control; God ‘spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves’ and because he is the one who swells the storm, he is the one who can still the storm.

On the surface life is very uncertain. Just last night at a church prayer meeting, my pastor shared with our small congregation that one of our church family members was having complications with her pregnancy, another person had sadly lost a close member of their family, and the husband of a young Christian couple who’d been fighting in Afghanistan was in intensive care fighting for his life following a mortar attack on his battalion. I was shocked by this news and turned immediately to prayer, but reflecting in my prayers I was also struck that such things are not uncommon in this world. As you read this I’m sure that you will have faced great uncertainty in your life already, and may even be feeling like the merchant traders right now – ‘their courage melted away’.

However, as we cry out to the LORD in our trouble, he brings us out of our distress. The most violent storm is calmed with a whisper, and just as Jesus showed on the lake of Galilee the raging tempest is hushed with a word. Uncertainty and disorder are features of a world where mankind turns against God, but peace and assurance are free gifts of God for those who cry out to him. Sometimes God graciously calms the storms in our lives, but God always promises to give us an internal ‘peace that surpasses understanding’ in the midst of difficulties and through Jesus Christ he will guide us to ‘our desired haven’.

Pete