Triumphant Thankfulness (A SOAP Journal from Exodus15 and Romans 1)

In addition to regular articles, I regularly post some simple SOAP journals that were produced during a regular small group gathering to read, journal, pray, and encourage one another. These are not exhaustively studied as they are generally the work of 20 minutes of reading, 20 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of sharing with each other what we have written. Whether we are Christian leaders or new believers, this collective approach to Bible journaling is encouraging.

If you are not familiar with the term, we used the SOAP acronym as a simple devotional guide... standing for:

• Scripture—what verse or short section caught my attention today? 
• Observation—what can I briefly notice that the passage specifically says?
• Application—what will I do differently as a result of having read this today?
• Prayer—what will I ask the Triune God to do for, in, and through me today?

As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the United States this week, I thought I would share this recent SOAP journal I wrote in my weekly journaling group.

S = Exodus 15:1-2, 9-13

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying,

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
     the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song,
              and he has become my salvation;
     this is my God, and I will praise him,
  my father's God, and I will exalt him…

The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake,
    I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.
    I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’
You blew with your wind; the sea covered them;
    they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
    Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
          awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?...

“You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed;
     you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.

Romans 1:21

For although they knew God,

                     they did not honor him as God

                        or give thanks to him,

               but they became futile in their thinking,

              and their foolish hearts were darkened.

 Photo by leio-mclaren- on Unsplash

O = Exodus 15, if written at the time of the Exodus, is the oldest psalm in the Bible. After going through the trauma and test of faith that were the plagues and the Passover, followed by Pharoah’s pursuit through the desert on his horse with no name, they had been trapped and terrified. But now, a day later, they had seen their great enemy and oppressor erased for good and they sang of the triumph of the Lord! At that moment, the people were grateful and thanked God for his deliverance. On a humorous note, … the way this is worded, it sounds like they spontaneously burst into song— Exodus, the Musical!

In contrast, in Romans 1 we see how when we are not thankful and misappropriate God’s honor it dilutes our thinking and darkens the desires of our hearts. It is a slippery slope into a headlong tumble, viewing ourselves as wise when we are not. Pharaoh thought he was wise and yet the Lord frustrated all pharaoh’s plans for harm and led him into a place of destruction in the Red Sea. He was blown away by the wind of God and the waters of judgment. By the way, what is another way to translate rûaḥ?

This passage reveals to us that God is a warrior, though he often doesn’t fight the way we think he should. Yet, he is always the Great Deliverer of his people, the one who brings all the oppressive plans of the enemy to nothing with the movement of his breath/wind/Spirit!

A = So as I read this passage and make these observations how will this passage impact my life? It prompts me to ask questions like, what are my greatest fears? What have I been running from for a long time? Jesus not only makes our deliverance possible but has brought it to pass. At that moment, how quick am I to give thanks and pick up a tune to sing in celebration? Not quick enough, not loud enough, and certainly not tambourine enough! What are “the horse and rider” in my life that have kept me in bondage and caused me to tremble in fear? Today I will remember that the Lord has cast them down into the sea. He has nailed the list of all my offenses and failures to the cross. Verse 13 not only sums up the metanarrative of the entire Bible but it is my story as I trust Jesus to deliver me and respond to his great love!

“You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed;
    you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.

P = O Lord Jesus, first let me say that I do want to know you in your “majestic holiness” and your steadfast love. May I always honor you and give thanks so that my heart does not grow cold and dark. I ask that you enlighten my heart and renew my mind to participate in your precious kingdom work— since you came to earth and participated in our lives to make us whole. I wish I could say that I don’t ever complain or grumble, but I know I have. I'm sorry.

This week, I ask you to vaccinate my heart, filling me with your Spirit, prompting a response of gratitude against the pandemic of prideful self-deception. May I discern your presence and your power to act on our behalf today—and thank you for it! Amen.