They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their Redeemer.– Psalm 78:35
One of the things I find most interesting in the old testament is the way they record the history of the people of God. Israel, those who are descendants of Jacob, a people whom God chooses as his own, record all the times they fail to be who God has set them apart to be.
The reason this is so fascinating to me, is that most history books are written from the perspective of those who feel they have done what is right and necessary. There is truth that history is recorded from the perspective of the ‘winners,’ however, those who have defeated a foe believe they have done so because of a higher powers will for them to win. As we look as Israel’s history, however, we see something different.
Even the shortened version of stories that we can read in psalm from, like the psalm for today, we find recorded is how Israel had not won, but lost. Their reason for losing, is because they forgot who they were, more importantly, they forgot whose they were. The people of Israel, often, lose track of what it means to be the people of God, who have been set apart, and called to obey God’s law. God is continuously compassionate to them, and helps them to atone for their sin. However, they are often not without punishment. Even after they atone for their sins, they still rebel against God again. It seems to be in their nature to want to stray from God.
I guess the same could be said of us, no matter how faithful God has been, we still have a desire to stray from God’s will, God’s law, and God’s love. Yet, I believe there is always hope, because when things get bad, and we begin to stray, we remember that God is our rock, and our redeemer.
In these, and every challenging time, I pray we would find a way to realize when we have strayed from God. I hope that we would realize that we are lost without God, but God is steadfast in love, and as we remember Him, our rock and redeemer, He will remember us, and be merciful. May you know the mercy of God’s love today, and always.
Grace & Peace,
Sam