Psalm 78 is a short history of the nation of Israel's walk
with God. As with all of us, its a collection of highs and lows.
When things were good, they tended to forget God. However, when
things got tough. . .well, that was another story probably best
summarized by verse 34 which says "When He killed them, then
they sought Him. . ."
This cycle of the nation forgetting God and then remembering God
went on literally for generations and generations. Why didn't
God just get fed up and totally destroy the nation? It seems like
a reasonable question.
A clue can be found in verses 37-39:
". . . their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not
faithful to his covenant, yet he was merciful; he forgave their
iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained
his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. He remembered that
they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return. (Psalm
78:37-39, pg. 498)
He understood that they were weak. Psalm 103:13-14 makes the same
point with a different analogy:
"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord
has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are
formed, he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:13,14, pg. 511)
He alludes to the fact that he was there at the beginning when
according to Genesis 2:7 (pg. 2) He made man "out of the
dust of the earth." We forget we're dust, we think that we're
strong, but He never forgets that we are dust. Someday following
our deaths we will all return to the dust from which we are made.
That perspective forever changes the way God deals with us. It
forever impacts His understanding of us.
However, there is also the analogy of the parent and child that
captures my attention. Any parent or child for that matter can
identify with what He's saying. Even when my four teenagers talk
boldly (with the untested confidence that they can do anything)
my understanding overrides their words.
If in my humanness, I can make those mental adjustments based
on my understanding. how much more will God.
How would you complete the following statement?
"I think that I'll never be perfect enough to suit God in
the area of __________________"
How would you complete it in the light of His understanding?
Is God's standard perfection? His commandments in the Bible indicate
that the only answer is "yes." However, that's a completely
different question than the question "Does God expect perfection
from you?" In the light of His understanding of our make-up
being dust, I believe that the answer is "no." We are
clearly dealing with a Person Who is more than we ever imagined.
This study might have raised some questions that you'd like to
send me. I hope so. Please E-Mail me at AskAPastor@aol.com and
I'll be happy to write back -- beginning a dialogue that could
benefit us both.