Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - Drawn into the Drama | The Writings | Psalm 105

Episode Date: August 30, 2024

Are you participating in God's mission to renew the world? Are you stepping into your place as he works to bless the nations? Or are you holding back certain areas of your life? In today's episode, Jeff shares how Psalm 105 invites us to see ourselves as a part of God's drama of redemption. Read the Bible with us in 2024! This year, we’re tackling a group of Old Testament books traditionally known as “The Writings”— Psalms, Chronicles, Proverbs, Daniel, Ruth and more! Download your reading plan now. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it so that others can find it, too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: Psalm 105

Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life. In the time it takes to get to work. I'm Jeff Parrott. Back in 1917, a wave of young Americans enlisted in the military to join the cause of their country in World War I. Why? What caused that wave of people enlisting? The reasons undoubtedly varied from person to person, but one of the causes for this enlistment boom is attributed to a collection of words and pictures. More specifically, the way that words and pictures of enlistment posters. In 1917, the United States government began a renewed

and successful recruitment campaign using these posters to draw young Americans into the drama of world events. Now, the goal of these posters wasn't simply to give the public stories about the war in Europe. It was all about getting Americans to join the story. It was less about mere information and more about participation. The recruitment posters, if you look at them, they do stir up a sense of participation in a masterful way. One reads this, The Navy needs you. Don't read American history.

Make it. The most iconic poster in this era features Uncle Sam pointing at the viewer stating, I want you for U.S. Army. Now, this use of words and images to stir up participation into something bigger, it wasn't new in 1917, and it wasn't new in America. As early as 1914, the United States, Kingdom drew its citizens into the cause of World War I with similar posters asking really piercing questions like this. Are you in this? Other posters made the bold invitation. Step into your

place. Even the famous Uncle Sam poster in the United States, it's heavily influenced by a British recruitment poster where Lord Kinchner points through the poster, drawing the viewer into something bigger. The effect of these images and words was substantial. They appealed not only to to our desire to know information about a story, but also our need to be participants in it. Now, these recruitment posters may seem totally removed from the topic of faith, but they actually point to something that we often miss when it comes to our engagement with the Bible. We can forget that the Bible isn't just meant to fuel our information about the topic of God. It's really meant to fuel our participation in the mission of God.

Psalm 105 serves as a striking reminder of this truth in the way that we're not. that it presents the story of God's people, a story that isn't relegated to the archives of history, but one that is still animated in those who put their trust in the living God. Not unlike Uncle Sam and Lord Kitchener, Psalm 105 will point through the pages of Scripture to ask us, are you in this? As we prepare to explore God's word together, let's slow down and ask for his presence to be felt during our time together. Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of life and breath today, and thank you for your word.

Jesus help us abide in you as we engage with your truth. Holy Spirit, we ask you to move in and through this time in Psalm 105. As we read these words, let these words read us and restore us into your mission. In Jesus' name, amen. So before we talk about what it looks like to be drawn into the drama of God's story, let's see how Psalm 105 portrays that very drama. Starting in verse 12, Psalm 105 takes us on a journey through the Old Testament, beginning in Genesis. Versus 12 through 15 reflect on God's protection over Abraham's family in the early chapters of the Bible.

Even then, in the origin story of God's people, they were drawn into a drama, into a story that eclipsed their lives, yet at the same time included their lives. They were a people blessed by God so that they would be a blessing to the watching world. Psalm 105 goes on to remember the story of Joseph near the end of Genesis, recounting his unjust treatment and time in prison, but also his rise to restorative power in the land of Egypt. Versus 23 through 38 of Psalm 105 take up the lion's share of this reflection on the drama of redemption. and they focus on the tragedy and hope of God's people as they were enslaved for generations in Egypt.

And after celebrating the freedom of the Israelites in Exodus, Psalm 105 closes its historical retelling in verses 39 through 41 that addressed the time of God's provision for his people while they wandered in the wilderness. Now, after reading these stories in the drama of God's people, you can't help but notice something important throughout each period that's mentioned. See, the stories mentioned here aren't just happy times for the people of God. In fact, every section of biblical history mentioned here incorporates some element of difficulty or heartbreak, Abraham leaving behind the familiar to enter the unknown with the living God, the unjust imprisonment of Joseph, the generations of oppressive slavery under Pharaoh and Egypt,

the seasons of doubt and rebellion in the wilderness. The point that Psalm 105 seems to be making is this. These moments in the story of the Bible, these images and words, they aren't important because they were easy or because they were ideal or because they went the people of God's way all the time. They're not important because God's people got it right every time. No, all these moments matter, these words and these images matter because they're lasting reminders that even when things seem to be at their words,

God is still there. That's the emphasis at the very end of Psalm 105. God remembered his promise to Abraham. God brought out his people. God keeps his promises to his people so that they can keep his way and participate in his drama, in his mission. So all these Old Testament stories, all these images and words, they testify to the truth that God is ever present in his purpose to make all things new. In the unknown, in the pain, there is no conflict in this story that's great enough to derail God's drama of redemption. And that matters not just in the past, but today as well. That's what Psalm 105 wants us to see, that this drama is still playing out. So the first six verses of Psalm 105 hit us with a string of commands that direct our attention to what it looks like to be engaged in the drama of redemption today.

Let's read those six verses. Give praise to the Lord. Proclaim his name. Make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him. Sing praise to him. Tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name.

Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength. Seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done. His miracles and the judgments he pronounced. You his service. the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. The commands here aren't just about recounting past events, as if they're cut off from today.

These are present tense, active ways to participate in the story that goes back to Genesis. This is Psalm 105's way of saying, their story is your story. If you're following the way of Jesus today, then you are being drawn into God's drama of redemption and everything that you do. And if you're considering following Jesus, then this is the story that you're stepping into. The God who made all things in Genesis is making all things new today. And he's doing it by drawing his people into his restorative movement. Now, it can be incredibly easy to distance ourselves, our lives away from this bigger story that God is writing. Perhaps that's through different areas of life that we just sectioned off from the drama.

Have you embraced the view of God that's only allowed into some portions of your life? Perhaps the drama of redemption is only a play for you when you walk into a worship service in a church building. Or when you attend a Bible study or a church gathering, any kind of spiritual activity, that's the only place where you see God's drama of redemption playing out. But the drama of redemption isn't playing out in your work life, with your parenting, with your kids. as you use your money, your words, even your physical body. Stop for a moment and reflect. Where do you see your need to be drawn further into the drama of God's story?

Psalm 105 is reaching through the pages of Scripture and asking, are you a part of God's mission to renew every square inch of creation? Are you stepping into your place as he works to bless the world? God wants you in his bigger story. He's working to make all things new, and that includes all of you. God, by your grace, would you continue to draw us into your bigger story? Your story that eclipses our lives, yet includes our lives. Help us see the ways that we distance ourselves from your drama and free us to surrender those parts of ourselves to you, that we may be drawn further into your purposes. God, be with us.

We need you more than we know. In Jesus' name, amen.