SCRIPTURE: Psalm 78
When a child is being disciplined, what they usually sense is their parents displeasure and anger.
Even though their parent’s heart may be throbbing with love, the child will not likely sense it.
In this Psalm, Asaph reviews Israel’s history: God’s gracious help, Israel’s stubborn ingratitude, and God’s discipline.
Asaph is aware of God’s anger, but the main focus of this Psalm is God’s mercy.
Through it all, God provides, God forgives, God returns, God helps.
What do you sense primarily when you review your own life – Love or discipline? Anger or mercy?
Asaph was able to review his life, and see God’s hand of mercy weaving through his circumstances.
An honest reflection of our own lives will reveal our own patterns of stubbornness, God’s mercy and discipline.
Through it all, God provides, God forgives, God returns, God helps — God’s heart throbbing with love.
For Asaph, David is the symbol of God’s mercy, providing a great king to help and guide them.
For us, it is the Son of David, symbol of both discipline (cross) and mercy (forgiveness, new life).
Take time to honestly review your life, and you too will begin to sense God’s love beneath it all.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
God, I see Your hand in my life. You have done way more than I realize, way more than I deserve. There are things that I don’t understand, and things that bother me. But I choose to focus on Your love, I choose to trust You through it all.
Observations/Application
Listen
and do.
Tell the next generation the mighty works of God. Keep His covenant. Remember all what the Lord has done yesterday and also today. He is faithful. He continues to guide and provide for His people. Am I seeing this? Am I listening to Him today?
Where did I see God today? I need to be faithful to the Rock that is higher than I. I need to put my hand into His as He continue to lead and guide in the Way that I need to go. I need to walk with Him each day. I am always in His presence.
I too need to renew my promise to serve Him anew for I too have not always walked with Him. A prodigal son but this day once again I have returned to serve Him. Lead me and guide me Lord always and use me as Your champion.
Prayer
Spirit of the living God, dwell within my heart so that every day and always I will serve the living God.
Spirit of the living God
Fall fresh on me
Spirit of the living God
Fall fresh on me
Break me, melt me, mold me fill me
Spirit of the living God
Fall fresh on me