God's Faithfulness

As God's people, we are a praying people, I hope.

I'm sure we all come prayerfully as we approach God,

and especially as we approach a communion season.

We're looking to God and seeking his blessing in our lives,

in our congregation, in our community,

and far and wide that God would come in a day of his power,

in a day of his reviving power.

But as you approach God yourself,

what is it that you're asking of God?

What are you asking or want from him in terms of your own life, perhaps?

Is there particular prayers you have at this time?

Are you thankful for the way maybe you can look back

and see how God has answered prayer in the past?

Do you come to God expectantly then as you pray now,

knowing that he has been faithful and that he promises

to be faithful to hear his people?

Prayer is a wonderful privilege,

and as we heard in the prayers this evening,

it's not something that we are to take for granted.

Even the meeting, our meeting here this evening

and over these coming days,

it is not something that we are to take for granted at all,

but to truly give thanks to God

for the wonderful privilege

and the wonderful blessing

of having his word

and the opportunity to meet.

Psalm 40, we know so well,

when we sing it so often,

I waited for the Lord my God.

There's a sense of expectation in that psalm.

And in verse 5, the psalmist says,

O Lord my God,

full many are the wonders thou hast done.

Thy gracious thoughts to us

were far above all thoughts are gone.

There's a sense of wonder and amazement there with God

at the great things that he has done.

They cannot be numbered,

the things that God has done for his people.

But as we come to God's word,

it gives us a focus on a sense of thankfulness

for all that God has indeed done for us.

Are you a person who keeps a diary?

There are some people who enjoy keeping a diary

on a daily basis.

Maybe write what you've done,

things you've seen,

things you've heard in a diary on a daily basis.

Other people,

it's maybe just some sketchy notes

from time to time of something important,

something major happens.

Or for others,

it's maybe let's just make sure

we get the important dates in

so we remember anniversaries and birthdays

and things like that.

But we all have a sense of looking at the past

and looking at the future

in a sense of keeping a diary for ourselves,

remembering things and looking forward to things.

There are often dates that we have marked

and perhaps one of the dates

that's maybe ingrained in your mind

is the fourth Sunday of August.

What's the significance of that?

You might say,

well, I'm sure many of you know

the significance of that date

is the date set aside

for the communion season here in Stornoway,

the fourth Sunday in August.

But then as we think back

over these last couple of years,

perhaps that's kind of gone out of our focus.

The fourth Sunday in August,

the last couple of years,

hasn't had the same significance.

We've been hindered

in being able to meet

and especially to meet

in terms of taking communion together.

But we pray that we're coming through that time,

that we're moving forward.

But we also look back

and we ask questions like,

what have we learned in that time?

What have we learned about ourselves?

What have we learned about others?

What have we learned about the world

in which we live?

We've probably learned a lot

in terms of ourselves.

Maybe we think to ourselves,

how much was I taking for granted in my life?

Was I just struggling along slowly,

wondering just what was it all about?

And all of a sudden,

when things came to a shuddering halt,

begin to ask yourselves more serious questions.

Was I obedient to God?

Did I really show my love of God?

Did I show my love for my fellow Christians,

my brothers and sisters in Christ?

Was my urgency with the gospel

what it should have been?

And perhaps for a time,

we were shaken up to that end.

But then as we come back to normal,

we can easily lose that focus once again,

lose that edge.

We ask ourselves too and at all,

what have we learned of God?

Have you learned more deeply

the importance of your relationship with God?

On a personal level,

we've maybe learned just how much we need him,

how much we depend on him,

but also how much we can rely on him,

that he is a faithful God.

Collectively as God's people,

hopefully we've learned how much

we long for fellowship with each other,

how much we long for God's word,

how much we long to remember

the Lord's death till he come.

Nationally, what have we learned?

And internationally, what have we learned?

Perhaps we've learned just how far from God

we had gone,

maybe have still gone.

There's no thought of God

in the midst of it all.

But as we move forward,

we long to see as God's people,

his blessing upon us,

to learn lessons

and to seek his blessing

on us as a people,

as a congregation

and indeed as nations of the world.

The city of Glasgow perhaps

reflects so much of our nation.

You may be familiar with Glasgow,

many of you sure are very familiar with it,

but they have a coat of arms for the city

with a motto on it.

And the motto now reads,

let Glasgow flourish.

But that's not always been the motto.

Some of you I'm sure know

what it once was,

that back in the year 1631,

the motto of Glasgow was formed

and the words were this,

let Glasgow flourish

through the preaching of thy word

and the praising of thy name.

That was the motto of Glasgow

for over 200 years.

And indeed our nation knew

a time of blessing

over those years too.

But in 1866,

the last part of the motto was dropped

and it became,

let Glasgow flourish.

But no answer as to how.

And what's interesting about it is

when you look on the council website,

the city council website,

when they speak about the motto

and how it changed,

it says the new motto is

a curtailment of the text

inscribed on the bell

of the Tron church

cast in 1631.

They mean a shortened version.

But I think what they've said

says so much,

it's a curtailment.

They're curtailing

the way Glasgow or anywhere

is going to flourish.

Dropping the part

that is going to flourish

by the preaching of thy word

is so definitive in many ways,

so enlightening in many ways.

But as we turn to this psalm,

what we find is

the psalm is giving us a reminder

of how we can be revived,

of how we can know

God's blessing.

Verse 12, for example,

is a very famous verse itself.

Blessed is the nation

whose God is the Lord,

the people whom he has chosen

as his heritage.

It reminds us of

where that motto for Glasgow

once came from.

It was looking to God

and seeking blessing

through the preaching

of the word.

Recognizing his steadfast love,

an unchanging love from God,

a God who is able to bless

if only we would seek him.

And so as we prayerfully approach

this communion weekend,

as we seek God's blessing on us,

are we thankful?

Are we praising him

as we should?

And are we seeking

the blessing of God on us?

Are we encouraged?

Are we looking forward

in anticipation?

Are we hungry for the word

and for the sacrament?

God's word is what will stir us up

as we approach the sacrament

on the Lord's day.

Through the preaching of his word,

may we all be blessed

and encouraged together

over these days

and to show our love for God

and coming to remember

his death together,

to remember what he has done for us.

And there's three things

I want us to take

from this psalm tonight.

Three ways that we can see

encouragement for ourselves

as we approach this time.

And the first thing is this,

we see God's word

and the blessing

that there is in it.

The second thing we see

is God's will

and the wonder of it.

And the third thing

is God's worth

and that nothing compares.

So the first thing we have

is God's word

and the blessing of it.

Psalm 33 is,

as you begin in the beginning

of the psalm,

shout for joy in the Lord.

In many ways,

our joy was hindered.

And has been hindered

over the last while.

We haven't felt maybe

able to shout properly

with joy in the Lord.

But when God comes

and revives his people,

we cannot but help

but to shout for joy

in the Lord.

And that is the foremost,

what's foremost in this psalm,

is a psalm of praise.

And the praise comes

when we see and know

who God is.

When we show our dependence

upon him

and we see that he is

in control

of all things.

And when he shows

his steadfast love

continually towards

his people

in whatever circumstances

we are,

how God shows

his steadfast love,

his faithful,

unchanging love.

And that again

is a great reminder

to us

and something we have

to remind ourselves

of time and time again.

Our God reigns.

He hasn't changed

his position.

He is where he's always been,

overruling

in all things.

And the psalmist here

in Psalm 33

is showing us

that we have

every reason

to praise God.

It's linked closely

to Psalm 32,

the previous one as well.

What you see

as you read through

Psalm 32,

it's a psalm

that speaks

of the Lord

being praised

because he is

the one

who forgives sin.

He is the one

who forgives sin.

When we acknowledge

our sin

before him,

he is able

to forgive.

And as we know

the forgiveness

of God,

we praise his name.

And as we come

into Psalm 33,

the praise

almost increases.

The praise

just goes on.

Shout for joy

in the Lord,

O you righteous.

Praise befits

the upright.

Give thanks

to the Lord.

Give thanks

to the Lord.

One commentator

describes

Psalm 33

as God

blowing over

the coals

of our heart

so that they

will catch fire

with worship

and praise.

God

blowing over

the coals

of our hearts

so they will

catch fire

with worship

and praise.

Something we used

to do

which is not

as common

now

is banking

the stove.

I'm sure

many of you

have done it

maybe still do.

You bank

the stove

at night

bank it up

so that hopefully

in the morning

there'll be something

that you can put

more peat

or coal

onto

and it's just

going to fan

itself into flame

once again

instead of letting

the fire

die out

you keep it

bank

bank to keep

the embers

burning.

And maybe

in some ways

these last

couple of years

it's almost

like our hearts

have just been

banked

dampened

down in some

ways.

Yes there's

a flame

in there

but it's

down somewhere

deep

and it needs

fanning into

flame.

once again

and maybe

we still

feel a bit

like that

too

but what

the crucial

thing is

is that the

fire is there

and also

we have the

spirit of

God

and his

word

to blow

over our

hearts

and to

fan us

into flame

once again.

In verse

four here

we read

the word

of the

Lord

is upright.

The word

of the

Lord

is precious.

It is

what we

need.

And the

more we

come into

God's

word and

the more

we see

the steadfast

love of

God and

come to

give him

praise the

more our

hearts are

fanned into

flame once

again.

You remember

the two on

the road to

Emmaus after

the crucifixion

of Christ.

There they

met with the

Lord on the

way and

what was it

that happened?

Their hearts

burned within

them.

How?

As the

Lord opened

up the

scriptures to

them.

What God

was the

Lord was

teaching them

through the

Old Testament

and through

this teaching

and through

what had

happened in

these days

he fanned

them into

flame and

they were

burning then

for the

Lord to

go and

meet with

others.

And that

is our

prayer as

we approach

God's word

over this

season.

As we hear

the preaching

of God's

word over

these days

that the

word we

bless to

all our

hearts.

That it

would rekindle

the fires

in our

hearts.

Our love

for the

Lord, our

love for

each other,

our love

for fellowship,

our love

in all

senses

towards God.

The word

of God

is what

we need.

The word

of Lord

is upright

as it

says here.

The word

is like a

compass that

guides his

people.

And that

is what we

need.

All around

us we

see the

result of

abandoning

God's

word.

Of

abandoning

like the

city of

Glasgow

that motto

through the

preaching

of thy

word.

When we

abandon

God's

word,

where do

we go?

We've

got no

direction.

Our

society

is just

cast

adrift.

We're

rudderless.

We don't

have any

steering at

all.

We're

heading in

the wrong

direction.

God's

word to

help us

flourish.

We need

God's

word and

we have

the

privilege

of it

before us

here.

And through

the preaching

of God's

word over

this weekend

and week

after week

and hearing

it and

reading it

and sharing

it together,

may we be

stirred up

in our

faith.

God's

word as

we see

and so

often

reminds us

of the

dangers of

just drifting

away from

it,

neglecting

it,

turning

away from

it.

What does

it lead

to?

There's

immorality,

wickedness,

evil in

this world

beyond what

we could

comprehend,

beyond what

we might

think is

possible.

There is

wickedness

all around

us.

But what

we need

again is

God's

word.

and the

blessing

of it.

We can

trust

this

word.

It is a

word that

is powerful.

It is by

the word of

the Lord

the heavens

were made

and the

breath of

his mouth

all their

host.

He did

all through

his word.

And it

says there

in verse

8,

let all

the earth

fear the

Lord,

let the

inhabitants

of the

world

stand in

awe of

him.

May we

stand

in awe

of him.

He is

our God,

he is

our Lord,

the maker

of heaven

and earth.

He is a

great God

who is in

control of

all things.

So pray

for the

preaching of

the word

over these

days.

Pray that

will fan us

all into

flame for

the Lord,

encouraging

our hearts,

reminding us

that God

is in

control.

The second

thing we

see here

is God's

will.

God,

as he

says here,

the psalmist,

is in

control.

Now,

what have

we learned

of God's

will in

our own

lives?

Even over

these last

few years,

what have

we learned

of God's

will?

Maybe we've

questioned it.

We often

end up in

situations

where we

question God

what he is

doing,

why he

might be

doing it.

We often

have these

questions,

but so

does the

psalmist.

We see him

in other

psalms

questioning,

for example,

how long,

oh Lord?

Why,

oh Lord?

He has

these very

same

questions,

but again

and again,

we see him

coming back

and recognizing

that God

is will

is what

we need.

His will

is dominant

as you

see in

verse 10.

The Lord

brings the

counsel of

the nations

to nothing.

He frustrates

the plans

of the

people.

We all

make plans.

We've all

had plans.

We've all

maybe had

plans that

have been

cast into

disarray in

these last

couple of

years.

Things we've

had to

postpone

or put

off.

Our plans

have often

had to

change,

but God's

plan hasn't

changed.

God's will

hasn't

changed.

God,

looking down

on us as

a people,

as nations

of the

world,

recognized

how far

away we

were going

from him,

and he

has brought

this upon

us to

bring us

back.

But have

we listened?

Job in the

Old Testament

says in

chapter 37,

verse 5,

God thunders

wondrously with

his voice.

He does

great things

that we

cannot

comprehend.

For to

the snow,

he says,

fall on

the earth.

Likewise

to the

downpour,

his mighty

downpour.

Everything

is within

God's grasp,

within God's

control.

The snow,

the downpour

of rain,

the wind,

everything that

happens,

his will

is dominant.

His will

will have

the final

word,

his will

be done.

Psalm 115,

another psalm

says,

but our

God is

in the

heavens.

He has

done

whatsoever

he hath

pleased.

God is

in control.

We need

not fear

because God

is in

control of

all things.

And our

greatest

reminder of

this is as

we look to

the Lord

Jesus Christ.

as a

world

looked on

as he

was

crucified,

they wondered

what was

happening.

The disciples

themselves

were questioning

what is

going on

here.

As we

look to

the cross,

our initial

reaction would

be, but

why God?

Why this?

Why did

he have to

die for

our sins?

Because

without the

shedding of

blood,

there is no

forgiveness

of sin.

God's

will,

God's

way,

God's

way to

salvation,

prepared

for his

people.

Jesus

himself

prayed in

the Garden

of Gethsemane,

not my

will,

but yours

be done.

May these

days teach

us not

to look to

ourselves

and to

our own

plans,

but to

seek the

will of

God in

all things,

to be

reconciled

to the

will of

God,

to pray,

Lord,

your

will be

done,

but to

pray,

Lord,

bless and

pity us.

Verse 11

shows us

that his

will is

determined.

The things

that occur in

this world,

while they're all

parts of God's

plan for the

ages,

nothing takes

place apart

from his

divine plan.

The counsel

of the Lord

stands forever,

the plans

of his

heart to

all

generations.

It's not

something that

often sits

comfortable with

people in

our day.

When we

struggle and

find it

hard, we

want to be

in control.

We want to

think that

our way is

best, but

the counsel

of the Lord

stands

forever.

Is that the

way you see

your life

playing out

just now?

Is that the

way we see

our nation

playing out

just now?

If it

isn't, we

may feel

scared of

what's

happening.

But the

truth is, we

need to

remember that

God is in

control.

God knows.

And isn't

it more

reason to

rejoice and

to be able to

praise God, to

know that he

is with us,

to know that

he will guide

us and help

us.

As verse 12

says,

blessed is the

nation whose

God is the

Lord.

the people

whom he has

chosen as

his heritage.

You are

blessed to

know God.

You are

blessed if

you are one

of his

chosen people.

When you

love the

Lord, you

are blessed.

And blessed

is the

nation whose

God is

the Lord.

There is so

much in

God's will,

but the

greatest thing

is this, it

is what we

are to

desire.

desire.

It is

what we

are to

desire.

The nation

is blessed

whose God

is the

Lord.

And when we

think of

Glasgow's

motto, it

took in

1631.

When you

think of how

Glasgow

flourished, it

was a small

fishing village

back in those

days in the

banks of the

River Clyde,

and how it

grew into a

thriving industrial

city, famous

throughout the

world for

shipbuilding,

Clyde built

was a word

that spoke

about quality,

things that

would last.

The city

became known

as the second

city of the

British Empire,

such was

prosperity and

power in those

days.

Where is it

now?

Where is our

nation now?

When we ask

ourselves these

questions and we

think of dropping

the motto and

just saying,

let Glasgow

flourish, but

there's no

answer.

How?

Where do we

go?

Except the

Lord build the

house, the

builders build

in vain.

We are to

return to the

Lord.

We have

abandoned God,

but God

calls his

people back.

Blessed is the

nation whose

God is the

Lord.

We need to

long for and

ask God for

his blessing

on us.

that his

will be

done, that

we see his

blessing.

Like Psalm

67, like

Psalm 85,

like the

Psalm itself

says, we

are to pray

for God to

revive us, to

restore us, to

rebuild us, to

bring us back

to himself.

Psalm 85, in

times past,

Lord, you

showed favor to

your own

beloved land.

God, your

Savior, now

restore us, is

the cry of the

Psalms.

will you

not again

revive us,

that we may

rejoice in

you.

God's will

is desirable.

It is what is

best for us,

because God

knows best.

So may his

word

fan our

flames, may

his will, may

we remind

ourselves that

he is in

control, that

his counsel

stands forever,

that we would

seek his

blessing.

then thirdly,

and finally, we

are reminded

here of too,

how God

watches over

us, and

how God is

so worthy

of all our

praise.

The Psalm

closes with the

assurance of

the worth of

God.

And when you

look at Psalm

verse 13, down

to the end,

it very much

speaks about how

the Lord is

looking on his

people.

The Lord

looks down

from heaven.

He sees the

children of

man, it

says in

verse 13.

And in

verse 18,

behold, the

eye of the

Lord is on

those who

fear him, on

those who

hope in

his steadfast

love.

His eyes

are on his

people.

He knows

our every

need.

He knows

our every

thought.

He knows

every motive

of our

heart.

He knows

everything there

is to know.

nothing is

hidden from

him.

And who

is comfortable

with that?

It's a

sobering

thought.

As the

children of

God, that

should be a

great comfort

to us.

He sees

all the

children of

man.

He sees

everyone.

Those who

are sitting

on thrones,

those who

are in

positions of

power,

those who

are kings,

who are

trusting in

their armies,

the warrior

who thinks

he'll be

delivered by

his great

strength.

All of

these he

sees.

But they're

not going to

be saved

in those

ways.

Because

verse 18

says,

behold,

the eye of

the Lord

is on

those who

fear him,

whose hope

is in

his steadfast

love.

He is

watching,

and he is

waiting for

his people.

He loves

his people.

He longs

for his

people to

find peace

with him

and is

watching.

He is

aware of

everything.

God

watches from

heaven.

He sees

people making

their plans.

He sees

the disarray

they often

end up in.

He sees

their efforts

to find

their own

way to

salvation.

And

sometimes we

might think

he forgets

us, but

he never

does.

He sees

it all.

One day

he is going

to judge

the wicked,

and he is

going to

judge the

just according

to their

works.

He looks

down and

sees it

all, and

we can take

great comfort

in that.

The eye

of the

Lord is

upon us.

And as

well as being

aware of

everything that

goes on,

he is

watching

with

affection.

I think

that's what

the psalmist

is saying

to us here

as well.

He is

watching his

people with

such great

affection.

His eye

is on those

who fear

him, that

he may

deliver their

soul from

death and

keep them

alive in

famine.

He's

showing his

affection towards

his people.

When you

look around

the congregation

in these

days, there

are a few

newlyweds in

our midst.

There are

a few

oldieweds in

our midst

as well.

When you

see newlyweds,

they often

look at

each other

with that

sense of

longing,

that sense

of love.

Thankfully,

as we grow

older,

hopefully that

affection still

stays.

You have

that look

of love

towards the

one you

love.

love.

Well, God

is here

reminding us

of his

affection towards

us, the

way he

looks upon

us in

his steadfast

love, a

love that

never grows

cold, a

love that

never diminishes,

a love that

is fixed on

his children.

Our God

looks down

on us with

that love.

And when

you think

of the

way the

Lord Jesus

speaks,

in his

high priestly

prayer in

John 17,

or on the

cross, he

speaks with

such love

and affection

that we

might know

this love

for ourselves.

So the

Lord looks

down in

love on

us.

The question

tonight as we

conclude is,

how do we

look on

him?

Is our

love a

reciprocation

of his

love to

us?

We can

say, as

John says,

we love

because he

first loved

us.

But are we

showing that

love?

Do we

love him

with all

our hearts?

The

psalmist

here says,

our soul

waits for

the Lord.

He is

our help

and our

shield.

But our

heart is

glad in

him because

we trust in

his holy

name.

Is that

your love

tonight?

As we

look ahead

to these

days, to

hearing his

word preached,

to knowing his

will is done,

to knowing that

he is watching

us with

such love,

are we

reciprocating

that love?

I love

the Lord

because my

voice and

prayers he

did hear.

That's what the

psalmist says in

Psalm 116.

May that be

our love

too, that

we love

him with

all our

heart and

that we

will come

and show

that love

by coming

to the

Lord's

table,

by professing

his name

and by

showing forth

his death

until he

come.

And as the

psalm concludes,

may that be

our prayer

too.

Let your

steadfast love,

O Lord,

be upon us

even as we

hope in

you.

May we

hope in

him with

all our

heart and

look longingly

to him as

we seek his

blessing and

his favour

upon us.

May God

bless his

word to

us.

We're going

to sing

in conclusion

some of

these verses

from the

song.