By:Pastor Jarren Rogers

In Psalm 107, David prompts his readers/listeners to praise.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe” (v.1-2).

It seems as if David thought Israel was too silent. God had done so much for them. He had delivered them, provided for them, and most importantly, He loved them endlessly. And yet no one was talking about it!

You should be giving thanks! Show some gratitude! God is good, and He loves you. He saw a way for you out of Egypt. He redeemed you. Why aren’t you telling people about it?

David’s words in this familiar Psalm continue to ring in our ears. Why are we so silent? After all that God has done for us, why don’t we talk about Him? Why are we so slow in sharing stories about His provision and help in times of great need? Why are we so forgetful when it comes to giving Him thanks?

I remember one trip my family took to a cave. We descended the steep ramp and felt the cool breeze that mysteriously flowed from the mouth of the cavern below. We walked on the worn path that wove throughout the cave around stalagmites and stalagmites (don’t ask me which is which), circumventing pools of water. 

After half an hour of touring and taking time to stop and hear from our guide, we finally came to a large open area far away from the place we began. 

Our guide spoke up, “We are now at a location in the cave where no light from the world above can reach us. I’m going to switch off the lights. You will see it is so dark here that you can’t even see your hand in front of your face.”

He grabbed ahold of a big red switch. It looked like it was sold at Dr. Frankenstein’s estate sale. He flipped it down. The lights flickered off. 

Darkness. Complete darkness. Of course, I had to put my hand in front of my face to see if I could spot it. I found that what our guide said was true! I couldn’t see it. But, all of the sudden, a glimmer of light flickered into my vision. 

It was the hands of my watch glowing in the dark. The only light in the utter blackness of the cave. Normally, it was such a faint light, and yet here it seemed radiant. I covered it with my hand so as not to ruin the experience for others.

Our guide turned the switch back on and the lights came up to reveal our group, most us foolishly holding our hands in front of our faces.

Our stories and praises can be like the glowing hands of my watch. Many people are looking at the world and only see darkness. But your story of God’s goodness, which to you may seem like nothing more than a glint, to someone else, may be a torch that illuminates their life, pointing them to the Source of hope and meaning.

Don’t be silent. Let the redeemed tell their story.