Reflecting the Image

Scripture:

Psalm 105:1–6

1 O give thanks to the Lord; call on his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.

3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

4 Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually.

5 Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles and the judgments he has uttered,

6 O offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones. (NRSVUE)

Observation:

The psalmist encourages God’s children to thank the Lord for all the good things that He has done. There are moments and times when we simply need to stop and give thanks!

Not only are the people to give thanks — but they are to sing about what God has done. How fun — singing together and telling one generation after another about the wonderful works of God.

God’s name is holy — and thanks and praise allow us to reflect upon His holiness. God’s people who seek Him — who seek His face — have hearts that become full of that which they seek. And we become a people who rejoice!

Every day we are admonished to seek the strength of the Lord. As we dwell in the presence of the Most High, we receive strength directly from the Lord.

God has performed wonderful works among us. He has done miracles and there have been judgments. From one generation to the next, let us not forget what God has done for us.

It’s time to share our testimony.

Application:

Anyone remember the old testimony services? Often they were linked to prayer meeting.

Maybe we’ve become too sophisticated, or too busy, to remember these practices, and most of our churches no longer have space for these times. But what happens to God’s people when we fail to take time for testimony?

Recently I was reading from a book called Guide to Holiness from 1869, by Phoebe Palmer. The book is filled with testimonies about what God was doing among His people:

ONE RESULT OF ROUND LAKE CAMPMEETING, E. W. VIRGIN.

Stirred and warmed by the fire of Round Lake camp-meeting, our heart’s cry has constantly been, “Nearer my God to Thee.” During some weeks of labor for souls, assisted by Sister Van Cott, of New York, the Lord has graciously added to His church in this place over sixty persons, many of them heads of families, six of them Catholics. To God be all the glory.

Chicopee Falls, Mass., October, 1869.

A HALLOWED SPOT. MARY D. JAMES.

A youth, who was a student in a Latin school in the city of Boston, recently visited Palestine. While his feet were pressing the soil upon which the Saviour trod, and his eyes looked upon Olivet and Gethsemane and Calvary, the solemn truths which he had often heard and read of the life and sufferings and death of the great Redeemer, came vividly before his mind; he thought — here in this very spot, Jesus fulfilled the object of His mission to earth! Here, He suffered and died to save sinners — to save me! His heart was melted; he said, I will here, on this hallowed ground, dedicate my soul and body to the service of God. He did so, was truly converted, and was baptized in the river Jordan!

The book is nearly 200 pages long and filled from front to back with testimonies — people giving praise to God for what He was doing among them.

Interestingly, I was also reading an old Herald of Holiness, the magazine that was part of the Church of the Nazarene. It, too, was filled with testimonies. This is from January 1914:

BY TELEGRAM

More Good News — Hamlin, Texas

The Sabbath was a great day with Central Nazarene University. Great number at the altar. Several prayed through in the old-fashioned way, and what times of shouting we had. Rev. Andrew Johnson, of Wilmore, Ky., will arrive January 25th to do a five weeks’ Bible study and lecture course. Be with us through the course.

J. E. L. Moore, Pastor

SALINA, KAS.

God is giving victory in the work here, and we are seeing souls saved and the Sunday school built up. Bro. J. T. Bivins and wife, though not sent here by the church, have through great difficulties kept the work going through prayer and faith. We have blessed prayer meetings. Sunday, January 4th, was a day of especial blessing. On Tuesday night we had another outpouring of the Holy Ghost. Though the Mission is in a small place, the Lord meets with us there. Brother Bivins is true and straight, and the Lord puts His seal on his ministry. Sister Bivins is a truly sanctified woman, and shines for Jesus.

Mrs. Dilla Kopek

BAKERSFIELD, CAL.

Sunday was a great day: three prayed through and a number were received into the church. The street meeting was extraordinary. About twenty-five Nazarenes were on the street with shining faces and inspiring testimonies, preaching an old-time religion to about two hundred listeners. The prayer meeting is good; sixty out last week, even though the weather was disagreeable. We are in the holy war, and on the upward march.

W. C. Frazier

How important testimony is to our faith! The psalmist knew that God’s people would need to praise and thank the Lord for all that He had done. They needed to remember, and they needed to tell. Reading these old publications, I’m struck by how testimony allowed people in one place to hear what God was doing somewhere else. Together, they were making known His deeds among the peoples.

Maybe we need to recover a little of that.

If you’ve read this far — does anyone have a testimony? Share it in the comments. Maybe we need to make a little space for testimony again. It’s too easy to get caught up in the negativity of our day and fail to tell one another what God is doing.

God is at work. God is doing good things.

Let’s spend time in His presence, seek His face, and then tell one another — and the world — what God has done!

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for what You have been doing in my life lately. I’m grateful for a time of rest and joy in Your holy presence. Thank You for allowing me to see the ways in which You are at work in and through the people around me. I give You thanks and praise. Amen.