How Long Does it Take to Grow Up?

Psalm 79

English Standard Version (ESV)

A Psalm of ^(A)Asaph.

79 O God, ^(B)the nations have come into your ^(C)inheritance;
    they have defiled your ^(D)holy temple;
    they have ^(E)laid Jerusalem in ruins.
² They have given ^(F)the bodies of your servants
    to the birds of the heavens for food,
    the flesh of your ^(G)faithful to ^(H)the beasts of the earth.
³ They have poured out their blood like water
    all around Jerusalem,
    and there was ^(I)no one to bury them.
⁴ We have become ^(J)a taunt to our neighbors,
    ^(K)mocked and derided by those around us.

^5 (L)How long, O Lord? Will you be angry ^(M)forever?
    Will your ^(N)jealousy ^(O)burn like fire?
^6 (P)Pour out your anger on the nations
    that ^(Q)do not know you,
and on the kingdoms
    that ^(R)do not call upon your name!
⁷ For they have devoured Jacob
    and laid waste his habitation.

^8 (S)Do not remember against us ^(T)our former iniquities;^[a]
    let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
    for we are ^(U)brought very low.
^9 (V)Help us, O God of our salvation,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and ^(W)atone for our sins,
    for your ^(X)name's sake!
^10 (Y)Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
Let ^(Z)the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants
    be known among the nations before our eyes!

¹¹ Let ^(AA)the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    according to your great power, preserve those ^(AB)doomed to die!
¹² Return ^(AC)sevenfold into the ^(AD)lap of our neighbors
    the ^(AE)taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!
¹³ But we your people, the ^(AF)sheep of your pasture,
    will ^(AG)give thanks to you forever;
    from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+79&version=ESV)

As I read this today I had to think about how God might feel when He heard these words.  The previous chapter talked about how God’s people forgot about Him.  How He finally became angry with them after a long time of patience has been displayed on His people.  Now they are going through adversity and they are asking God how long this must take place.  They are begging for mercy and feeling sorry for themselves because of the enemies attacks on them.

As a mother there were times that I wished my children would grow up a little faster.  I wanted to reason with them and have them understand why things had to happen as they did.  It becomes exhausting raising children from learning to feed themselves to toileting to getting them to go to sleep on their own and the list goes on.  Especially during those toddler years our children seem to take a lot of energy from their parents.  They become teenagers and it begins again.  I personally did not have much trouble with our daughters.   However, my experience working with teenagers comes from being a high school teacher and principal.  More often than not our teenagers think they are grown-ups and can make grown-up decisions.  The only problem with that is that all their decisions are based on themselves and rarely on others.  They tend to ignore authority except to blame them for their involvement in their problems.  Then, when punishment comes it is not their fault but rather the fault of the one inflicting the punishment.  Sound familiar?

The Israelites were notorious for blaming God.  They seemed to forget who their Father really was.  They thought more of themselves than they did of others.  They whined, complained, and rebelled.  When things didn’t go their way and punishment was given to them they did not blame themselves for their predicament, they blamed God.  Sound familiar?

How often do we act the same exact way as the teenager or the Israelites?  We tend to live our lives to please ourselves, our friends, our family yet we leave God out of the picture.  But, when things don’t go quite how we think they should we blame God.  Our authority is God.  Are we honoring Him or are we rebelling against Him?

If I were a parent reading a note from a teenager that read something like this Psalm, asking how long do I have to suffer, I would probably have to reply, “How long will it take you to grow-up?”  I have to wonder if that is what God is saying back to me when I complain, grumble, and become depressed.  He has proven His love to me but how long will it take for me to prove my love to Him?  As I seek Him I learn more and more how much He loves me and can see how patient He has been with me. 

Thank you Father for allowing me to grow-up and know you more.  Forgive me when I have looked at you for the blame rather than looking at my own selfish desires.  Help me to have your patience, kindness, love and forgiveness.  Forgive me for all my failures and my lack of trust in You.  In Jesus Precious and Holy Name I Pray, AMEN

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila