Stephen spoke tonight on Psalm 116, reminding us that the Psalms are largely songs which form an important part of our communication to God. In this psalm, we see the psalmist declaring his love for God (Ps 116:1), a declaration that forms the starting point of our communication with God. It is no sign of insecurity or forgetfulness to declare our love; rather, it speaks of commitment and loyalty, not need or desperation.
We love God partly because He is there. Our communication is highly personal, but God hears us and listens to us. He is so close that He can hear us even if we whisper. No matter what our circumstances (and part of the circumstances in this psalm are highly difficult), God is always there with us. ‘God’s ear is ‘ere’, so to speak, always listening, always there.
In the psalm, we see the psalmist declaring truths about God’s nature (see Ps 116:5-6). This is an important part of communication, because it deals with honesty and truth. Praise and worship is our opportunity to give God the honour and glory He deserves, which not only is the right thing to do but which is also beneficial to us in that truth becomes a liberating force in our lives.
We don’t have to wait for special occasions to communicate with God, but need to make the most of every opportunity we have to grow and move forward in our relationship with God, something we can all do as we take the time to call on the Lord.