Message (03/02/08)

Psalms 105:4

(cf., Matthew 15:21-28; Hebrews 11:6)

Meaning and Purpose of Life: "His face and His strength"

Introduction: The Bible is full of imageries and illustrations. A simple explanation is that this is the book that tells us about the holy, amazing God and His wonderful plan for our lives. Since it is too high to reach and too deep to understand, the Bible has no other way to express the truth about God except in this plain way. When the composer of Psalms says "His face", it means God's favor; and, "His strength" or "His mighty arm-strength" means God's mighty power that saved the people of God several times in their history. So, as the people of God, there's no better choice in life except to seek God's favor and His mighty saving works. This is the exhortation of the composer of Psalms in this passage. However, our question here is that, which one is the first to seek, His face or His strength, His favor or His blessing?

I'm fine but no medicine: There's a missionary (Dr. Erick H. East). And he is also a medical doctor. So, thinking to use his medical skill, he distributed pills and tablets to local visitors to let them stay longer in his tent so that he can preach. However, the locals, not knowing his purpose, just left after they received medicine. So, missionary, thinking to change his tactic, decided to distribute the medicines only after preaching. The next day, people gathered again, greeting him while lending their hands in hope of medicines like the other day. But, this time the missionary replied, "Yes, I'm fine, but no medicine!" This became like a saying in that region. Friends, so many times in our lives too, knowingly or unknowingly, we switched this back and forth—His face and His strength, His favor and His blessing. Actually, it's a major switch between the GIFT and the GIVER!

Winning God's favored attention: Yes, we NEED God's gift—His blessing and helps. But, His face or favor is the first thing that we've to SEEK in life. So, what do we need for God's favor in our life? Except our faith and trust in His son, Jesus Christ, nothing can please God. There's a country woman from Tyre (Matt. 15:21-28). She is a Canaanite by birth, meaning no right to sit at God's table together with Israel according to the ritualistic law of the time, so was the reply of Jesus in verses 24-26. However, her strong faith in the Son of God has overridden her to insist, even not caring about the ritual, the tradition or culture, or even bitter rejection at her first attempt (v. 27). So, was turned God's favored attention to her dying daughter then (v. 28). Her daughter was completely healed "from that very hour"!

Persistent faith: A man once asked St. Augustine, "How much can your God doth for me?" He simply replied, "As much as thou believest!" 'Grace' is God's key to bless us and 'faith' is our key to touch Him (Hebrew 11:6). Grace is God's giving hand and faith is our receiving hand. Sometime, God puts us in a test—test of faith—on how much we really expect Him to bless us, or how much we really feel we need His help. In fact, the more we feel we need God, the more we tend to beg His favor. The more we expect God to do something in our lives, the more we pray fervently/persistently. That's what we call persistent faith like this poor Canaanite woman. The measure of our expectancy—faith in His graciousness—will push us to go forward until we get at least something! In that persistent faith, no matter is human rule and regulation, no matter is culture and tradition, and no matter is His first unattractive impression/response. That great faith prevails, winning God's favored attention—attention to visit our families, our churches, our countries, and our loved ones and heal.