28-Jun-2024 – Honour the grace of God
Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth…their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. – Psalm 78:1, 37
Today God is speaking to us about our inherent nature which is actually causing God to become furious. Only because of His compassion, we are not yet consumed.
This chapter is a long chapter and highlights various occasions of the rebellion of the Israelites.
The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle -Psalm 78:9
From this verse, we can understand that the children of Ephraim were armed and has bows also in their hands. But on the day of the battle, they turned back. They looked at the enemy and forgot all the wonderful and marvelous works that God did in Egypt and at the Red Sea.
In our practical life if we see, because we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are made the children of God, the Holy Spirit of God is dwelling in us ans with us, and we have the word of God at our disposal. More over the whole armour of God is given to us.
But when the temptations come, when a weakness comes, when financial difficulties arises, when things go out of hands, we are forgetting the previous things done by God and without even standing in the battlefield, surrendering into the hands of the enemy and getting drowned in the defeat of the situations.
Psalm 78:17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. -Psalms 78:38
These two verse actually summarizes the nature of Israelites and how Gos was so patient and compassionate with them. The privilege of the Israelites was the opportunity to witness the supernatural deeds of God and first hand experience of the leading of God through the wilderness by performing extraordinary works which are beyond expectation and comparison.
Even after experiencing the continuous provision of the Lord, protection of the Lord, their hearts were wandering around whatever their eyes see and lusting after whatever their heart desire, but neglected the word of God, and the forgot the grace of God.
In our life also, if we are suffering from some health problem, we will share prayer requests and we will pray and wait for the word. But once God heals and gets us out of that situation, we will turn back into our fleshly desires and our time for the word of God, and the presence of God will drastically reduce.
When God sends the promise of prosperity, we will welcome him, but when God sends a request to meditate on some portion which prepares us for the next season, we will postpone, when God sends a request to support the activities of the church, we will do but look for an opportunity of our recognition instead of the glory of God. When God sends a warning to come out of our sinful ways, we will emotionally agitated and be on fire for a moment and when the object of interest that pulls un in to the sinful nature calls us, we will immediately go as if we are programmed to do so.
Today God is not just reminding us about our pathetic nature but calling us for repentance.
But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever. He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. -Psalms 78:68-71
God chose Judah and left Ephraim and He chose Zion over Shiloh. But this is not to abandon them but to guide them and rebuild them. God through David led the people of Israel and out of Zion He blessed them.
For us, the Lion of the tribe of Judah is Jesus Christ. Through him God gathered us to be led by Him and fed by Him. He transformed us into the temples of God and provided the indwelling of His Holy Spirit and made us individually a Zion for him.
So, let us not give up like Ephaim on the day of battle and let us not give up like other Israelites on the day of temptation. But like David let us stand on the day of battle by remembering the greatness of God and depending on the strength of God. Even if we fall for the weakness of the flesh, lets stand up again like David and honour the grace of God
Prayer
Dear loving heavenly Father, thank you for your love and grace. Thank you for reminding us about our pathetic nature which is always falling short. But because of your grace and mercy you did not abandon us but through your word reminding us about your love. Help us not to drag the time but set our things right before the last tick of the clock. I pray in the name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen!
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