As we come to the end of the school year,
it's hard to know if we are to be straining forward, eager for summer, or stretching sideways, as we stress over all there is yet to do to finish up. And then toss a party or prom in the mix and now it's a whole lotta kooky! But then as we read today's Psalms we find Asaph encouraging the people of Israel to lean in... to go ahead with the annual festivals that God requires. For even when the people are stressing and struggling, they still are to give of their time, to stop and give praise before the Lord to remember Him at these, the required Festivals of their heritage and celebration for all He has done. Sing aloud to God our strength; Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob. Raise a song and strike the timbrel, The pleasant harp with the lute. Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day. Psalm 81:1-3 NKJV This was a time to remember God... all He had done for them. To praise Him, to thank Him, to enter His presence with praise. They were Festivals written into law when Moses was leading the people through the wilderness. But these people had long since turned from God. They had made it common to worship foreign gods... to follow the ways of the world that surrounded them. And they no longer appreciated all that the Lord had done for them. So they neglected to pass on to their children the heritage and faith of their ancestors. The telling of old... how God had led them out of slavery. How He had delivered them from Egypt. So their faith in God had become weak... diluted, decreased, diminished, dissolved. And their lives, their government, their culture and civilization took a toll because of it. And as God speaks to them, it's not too much of a stretch... to hear the same voice He might be speaking to us, in our culture and society today. “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! There shall be no foreign god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god. I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. “But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels. “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him, But their fate would endure forever. He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.” Psalm 81:8-16 It would not be difficult to re-write the very same verses... filling in the name of our country. As we seek for ourselves our own gods. Our prosperity, success, money and fame. The better house, the nicer car, the self-contained life delivered right to our doorsteps. We write our own rules, worship ourselves, choose whatever gender fits us best, and don't step on toes defining right or wrong... so that no one dares step on ours. And the Lord God, Almighty in heaven above will certainly let us. For He is seated on His throne, and He has seen it all before. This same parade of watered down character marches by Him. We are not such an advanced culture. We are the same stiff-necked people, re-cycling the same stubborn hearts, that He has already given into centuries before. This is nothing new to God. He simply turns His holy face away, shakes His head and sadly whispers... “Oh, that (you) would listen to Me, That (they) would walk in My ways!" I would have fed (you) also with the finest of (everything)... I would have satisfied you.” The sadness we must bring to His heart... the very beings He created and filled with intelligence, beauty, persistence, strength, energy, creativity, leadership, and so much more. And yet we get these mighty mindsets that somehow WE did it ALL on our own. Wow... just wow! All the possibilities to bring Him glory... turned inward only to implode. Dissatisfied. Empty. Struggling. Fighting. Seeking Likes... or Loves. Just always seeking. Never satisfied. If only we could hear the whisper... I would have satisfied you. Word of God, train me, today... to enter Your presence with praise and thanksgiving, to truly let go of myself, and trust You Lord, to satisfy me! Lord, I am listening for the whisper. I long to walk in Your ways. Feed me with only Your finest. I long to be satisfied, as only You can. And to turn whatever it is I have to glorify You and never myself.
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January 2019
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