His Wondrous Works Prevail

Psalm 78:9-41

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁹ The Ephraimites, armed with^[a] the bow,
    ^(A)turned back on the day of battle.
¹⁰ They ^(B)did not keep God's covenant,
    but refused to walk according to his law.
¹¹ They ^(C)forgot his works
    and ^(D)the wonders that he had shown them.
¹² In the sight of their fathers ^(E)he performed wonders
    in the land of Egypt, in ^(F)the fields of Zoan.
¹³ He ^(G)divided the sea and let them pass through it,
    and made the waters ^(H)stand like a heap.
^14 (I)In the daytime he led them with a cloud,
    and all the night with a fiery light.
¹⁵ He ^(J)split rocks in the wilderness
    and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
¹⁶ He made streams come out of ^(K)the rock
    and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

¹⁷ Yet they sinned still more against him,
    ^(L)rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
¹⁸ They ^(M)tested God in their heart
    by demanding the food they craved.
¹⁹ They spoke against God, saying,
    ^(N)“Can God ^(O)spread a table in the wilderness?
^20 (P)He struck the rock so that water gushed out
    and streams overflowed.
Can he also give bread
    or provide meat for his people?”

²¹ Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath;
    ^(Q)a fire was kindled against Jacob;
    his anger rose against Israel,
²² because they ^(R)did not believe in God
    and did not trust his saving power.
²³ Yet he commanded the skies above
    and ^(S)opened the doors of heaven,
²⁴ and he ^(T)rained down on them manna to eat
    and gave them ^(U)the grain of heaven.
²⁵ Man ate of the bread of ^(V)the angels;
    he sent them food ^(W)in abundance.
²⁶ He ^(X)caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,
    and by his power he led out the south wind;
²⁷ he rained meat on them like ^(Y)dust,
    winged birds like ^(Z)the sand of the seas;
²⁸ he ^(AA)let them fall in the midst of their camp,
    all around their dwellings.
²⁹ And they ^(AB)ate and were well filled,
    for he gave them what they ^(AC)craved.
³⁰ But before they had satisfied their craving,
    ^(AD)while the food was still in their mouths,
³¹ the anger of God rose against them,
    and he killed ^(AE)the strongest of them
    and laid low ^(AF)the young men of Israel.

³² In spite of all this, they ^(AG)still sinned;
    ^(AH)despite his wonders, they did not believe.
³³ So he made ^(AI)their days ^(AJ)vanish like^[b] a breath,^[c]
    and their years in terror.
³⁴ When he killed them, they ^(AK)sought him;
    they repented and sought God earnestly.
³⁵ They remembered that God was their ^(AL)rock,
    the Most High God their ^(AM)redeemer.
³⁶ But they ^(AN)flattered him with their mouths;
    they ^(AO)lied to him with their tongues.
³⁷ Their ^(AP)heart was not ^(AQ)steadfast toward him;
    they were not faithful to his covenant.
³⁸ Yet he, being ^(AR)compassionate,
    ^(AS)atoned for their iniquity
    and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
    and did not stir up all his wrath.
³⁹ He ^(AT)remembered that they were but ^(AU)flesh,
    ^(AV)a wind that passes and comes not again.
⁴⁰ How often they ^(AW)rebelled against him in the wilderness
    and ^(AX)grieved him in ^(AY)the desert!
⁴¹ They ^(AZ)tested God again and again
    and provoked ^(BA)the Holy One of Israel.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+78%3A9-41&version=ESV)

We are all so quick to talk about those Israelites who were blind to the wonderful love and power of our God.  We say, “If I would have been there and experienced those miracles I would believe”.  I have a hard time believing that we would be any different.  Although they experienced the miracles of God, only special people, like Moses were allowed to be in His presence.  Today, the Holy Spirit indwells all those who are true believers in Christ yet we or at least I grumble and complain sometimes.  The Israelites had a cloud and a fire to lead them, we have the Holy Spirit within us.  Yet, I don’t know how many times I have grumbled at where God is leading me when I need to just trust and follow His direction.  Yes, I even tell Him how I think it should be!  CRAZY, little me tells ENORMOUS HIM how He should run things?  Sounds like those wonderers to me!

Jesus came so that I may have life and have it more abundantly.  The Israelites had to bring animals to the altar to be sacrificed yet Christ did that sacrifice once and for all for all of us.  Yet, I still slip up and sin and that sin comes from a lack of trust in the Lord. 

Somehow we try to tell God what we want or think we need.  We cry out to Him in times of trouble but we forget that we need to praise Him and honor Him daily.  When I think of the life He has led me through I can see that He has done an amazing job.  I could have been born into a country of poverty, or to a family of low means, abuse, or where drugs and alcohol were used and abused.  Some of you reading this may have found yourselves in those situations but I did not.  I was raised in a family where serving God was the most important thing to do in life.  Where going to church was an automatic and everything else was negotiable.  But my grandparents did not come from that lifestyle.  God delivered them in a mighty way and they served the Lord gladly because of that.  My husband was raised the same as I, to know and love the Lord but he had relatives that strayed and came back too.  So, if you have been raised or are currently in a horrible situation, remember God does love you and He can deliever you.  Put your trust in Him not your circumstances and find joy in living for Him.  Both of our parents taught us how to live a life pleasing to the Lord and they were taught and experienced themselves how He can change our lives.  Yet, I still find myself depressed, angry, and yes discontent but why?  I should be praising the Lord daily for leading me through this life, the desert of some sorts, because I know the promised land is on the other side.  Take courage my friend, the Lord is still working and His path is the Only One to follow.  Seek Him and thank Him for His wondrous deeds.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila