Love God Because...
Some of us have testimonies with spectacular rescues. We were living at the very edge of existence, seeking to avoid God and our responsibility. Into our mess, God appeared and brought us back to him. We are locked into thankfulness and a deep appreciation, even love for God because the painful past is still clear in our memories. Our current issues revolve around the ongoing battle against deeply, unhelpful patterns.
Some of us don’t have a vivid story. In some sense, we may wonder if we have a real, worthy testimony to tell. The danger here is a weak sense of gratitude and lack of genuine love for God. We might even have a shallow understanding of our helplessness. So, we are in danger of becoming the older son, the “less prodigal” son, but further from God in the end.
In both cases, God’s rescue is extraordinary and lavish. The less dramatic among us is just as broken, but in different ways. God has been very gracious to save us from ourselves, no matter our story. Freedom in Christ has brought me to an openness of my deep brokenness, but also an ability to embrace God’s great grace. This is the story given us in Psalm 116.
Ps 116 starts off as follows:
“I love the LORD, because he has heard (and continues to hear) my voice and my plea for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live” (Ps 116:1-2).
When I was reading this recently, I became fixated on “because.” What is being said here? Is it how I think about God? Do I love God “because?” I often seek to appreciate God for who He is, His magnificence, His beauty, wisdom, and power. This is all well and good, but it is a bit too lofty for this down-to-earth, practical psalmist. The psalmist’s love for God stems from a desperate and unhealthy situation, which was self-imposed as we’ll see. He was in deep trouble beyond anything that he could fix or control.
“The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I suffered distress and anguish” (Ps 116:3).
He was in the very grip of death itself. And in that moment of deep trouble, he called to the LORD (YHWH), for there was no one else who could help. Out of this vivid rescue, the psalmist discovers God’s attributes.
“Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; or God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me” (Ps 116:5-6).
Don’t miss the key point here. What he is saying is “I did something really foolish/stupid, and even so, God rescued me.” This shows us that we should call out to God even when it is entirely our fault—He may still rescue us! In fact, the word used for “simple” here is the same that is used for “fool” in Proverbs (D. Kidner, Psalms). And God is pleased to rescue us. This is grace beyond what we can imagine! How can it not produce a thankfulness and a deep love for God?
The Psalmist now makes clear his intentions in the form of public declarations. He states what he will do in. He will:
Walk before the LORD in the land of the living;
Lift up the cup of salvation;
Pay his vows;
Offer a sacrifice of praise.
Let’s look at just one of these:
“I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living (Ps 116:9).”
It sounds like an obvious situation before a God who sees all. But there is more here. The psalmist is saying that he will be open, honest, transparent with God, seeking to hide nothing (D. Kidner, Psalms). This is what the Apostle John calls “walking in the light.” It is a vulnerable, exposed posture, which many of us are afraid to hold. The palmist does this out of love, out of gratitude for what God has done for him. He has decided to be completely honest before God.
So, what’s the point of all this? God wants us to run to him in desperation; we need not be shy of this because this is the reality of who we are and who He is. Remembering how God rescued us can sure up the foundation of our love for Him. Then, like the psalmist, we can express it by walking honestly before God, declaring His salvation, and praising Him.