”the trap is broken, we are free…

our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth ”Ps. 124:6-7

“What if?” is a question we often frighten ourselves with! “What if I had not done that or said that; I am sure my life and relationship would be better than they now are!”

The people of Israel were playing “What if?” as they huddled together in their imaginations and paranoia. The Hebrews experienced many times of violent threat of invasion and subjugation to foreign and godless powers. After they had scared themselves with their “What if?” games, they remembered again God’s faithfulness and of God’s promises.

Those “What if?” games included being abandoned by God and left to their own devises. Those fears were expressed through the imagery of fierce animals attacking and devouring them even as they hid from them; and secondly, of violent and destructive floods, which swept all before it in its fury.

Thankfully, the people of Israel came to their senses, and remembered God’s
faithfulness, and all God’s promises to them to be their partner, even if they often forgot that liberating fact! Obviously, they had had several “close encounters”, otherwise why did the Psalmist sing: “…We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap. The trap is broken, and we are free…!” However, there can be no doubt about their fervor as they also all sang: “…Our help is from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth.” Despite their “What if” games, they knew that their Faithful God of enduring love had always blessed their days and could be relied upon to liberate them from their own foolishness.

No need for games!