By Toni Ford
Over the next two weeks, Passover and Easter will be celebrated by Jews and Christians from around the world.
One of the beautiful traditions the Jewish people practice at the beginning of Passover is a ritual feast called the Seder, which marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover and is held on the first night of Passover after nightfall, per Biblical command. The Seder symbolizes the anniversary of Israel’s miraculous exodus from Egyptian slavery more than 3,000 years ago. The Seder is a feast and a time of celebration that includes reading from the Scriptures, drinking wine, telling stories, eating special foods, singing and other traditions. It is a beautiful time with family and friends remembering how the Lord fulfilled His promises of deliverance to the Jewish people.
At the very end of the Seder meal, tradition has it that everyone participates in singing songs that come from the Book of Psalms and known as the “Hallel Psalms.” These Psalms, from chapters 113 to 118, are sung and recited as an act of praise and thanksgiving. I thought it appropriate to continue this past week’s celebration with a continued song of praise from and keep our attention on the promises of God’s Word and who our God is rather than the things of this world. Psalm 118 is a beautiful example of this “song of praise,” and below are some great truths to stand on during these unprecedented times.
Always give Him thanks first. Regardless of what goes on in this world or in our individual lives, God will always remain worthy of our thanks. The main reason is because of verse one says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” There is no situation, no virus, no economy, no medicine and no political system that is greater than God or greater than His love for each one of us. God’s goodness and His love has and will endure forever!
We can trust Him in every crisis. Psalm 118: 5-14 mentions “The Lord” in every verse because God is the one who delivered the Israelites from their enemies and protected them during their difficult times. The same Lord that did that for the children of Israel does that for us today. Verses 6-7 says, “The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.” Again in verse 14 we read, “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.” How comforting to know that we can trust the Lord during times of crisis. He alone is able and faithful to deliver and protect us, just as he did for Israel over 3,000 years ago.
The Lord is our cornerstone. Psalm 118: 22 says, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” The Hebrew word for “rejected” also means despised and abhorred. So, the despised and rejected man on the cross would end up becoming the cornerstone of faith, civilization, history and the world. For those who choose to believe, Jesus is our cornerstone and our very foundation!
Lord, we begin today by thanking You, for you are a good Father and Your love for us never changes or goes away. We surrender our lives afresh to You today and choose to trust You above all else! You are our cornerstone, our foundation and our rock, and we thank You for your faithfulness!
If you would like me to join you in prayer, please e-mail me at tonif77@gmail.com. I would love to pray for you!