Do you ever read something in the Bible and think, “I would never do that” or “I can’t believe they treated God like that after all He had done for them—how could they forget His goodness so quickly?” I had one of those moments this week, but just as quickly as I was saying those things, I felt conviction in my heart for my life. How often have I forgotten the goodness, faithfulness, and steadfast love of the Father because of my sin, pride, and selfishness?
Psalm 78 is historical; it’s a narrative that recounts the great mercies God bestowed on Israel. This chapter urges the coming generations to remember the works of the Lord. I encourage you to go and read this Psalm, but for now, I’ll just pull out a few nuggets.
This Psalm begins by commanding parents to teach their children the works of the Lord. Moms, are you diligently and continually teaching your children the goodness of the Lord so they might forever hope in Him? The desire of each of our hearts should be to train up steadfast hearts for the Lord.
Girls, are you setting an example for your younger siblings and peers? Are you quick to remember the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord? I challenge you to proclaim His greatness in a world full of complaining, ungratefulness, selfishness, and lust.
The Psalm tells the story of all the miraculous and wonderful deeds God performed to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. After all God had done to rescue them, the people of Israel continued to sin, rebel, and test the Lord in their hearts. This angered the Lord because they did not believe in Him or trust Him. Yet God continued to provide for His people, raining down manna for them to eat and water to drink. But the people were not satisfied—They demanded the food they craved. Before they could finish all the food they craved, God killed the strongest of them.
They continued to sin, so He made their days vanish like a breath. This pushed them to repentance, but their hearts were still not steadfast. Though they were not faithful to His covenant, God was compassionate and atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them. He restrained His anger often; He remembered they were but flesh. It saddens me to think how many times I have sinned against, rebelled against, and grieved the Father. Verses 44-55 detail all God did to deliver them from Egypt—How could they rebel after all God had done? Yet again, I’m convicted. How can I forget so easily the goodness of the Lord in my life? How can I forget his grace and daily mercies? God finally had had enough, and when His wrath was full, He rejected Israel...but for only a season of time.
The story continues, but we’ll stop there. Let’s not allow ourselves to forget the great things God has done. In hard times when you feel like God is doing nothing, remember the story of His faithfulness that’s written all over His word.
*Am I passing the truth on to the next generation?
*Am I remembering the faithfulness and goodness of the Lord in my life?
*Do I have a grateful and steadfast heart?
*Am I rebellious?
*What needs to change?
No comments:
Post a Comment