Psalm 78 (part 3)

"They forgot what He had done - the great wonders He had shown them, the miracles He did for their ancestors on the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt. For He divided the sea and led them through, making the water stand up like walls! In the daytime, He led them by a cloud, and all night by a pillar of fire. He split open the rocks in the wilderness to give them water, as from a gushing spring. He made streams pour from the rock, making the waters flow down like a river! Yet they kept on sinning against Him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved. They even spoke against God Himself, saying "God can't give us food in the wilderness. Yes, He can strike a rock so water gushes out, but He can't give His people bread and meat." When the LORD heard them, He was furious. The fire of His wrath burned against Jacob. Yes, His anger rose against Israel, for they did not believe God or trust Him to care for them." - Psalm 78:11-22

This is a big passage. But, if you split it up...it's talking about all of the miracles God did for Israel when they were in the wilderness. In contrast, it shows Israel's complaints and disobedience despite God's protection and provision. Whenever I read the Old Testament, and I think about how whiny and ungrateful the Israelites were...I realize that I don't have room to judge. God provides EVERYTHING I need ALL THE TIME, and I still throw a tantrum when I don't get what I want. (Yeah. Act like you don't do the exact same thing.)

One of the verses that caught my eye was verse 18. "They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved."

I thought about that...demanding the foods they craved...And I came up with this example. What's your "end of the month" food? Come on. You know what I'm talking about. The few days right before your parents get paid, you have a food that you eat...usually something cheap, because, duh, your parents are about to get paid, and you don't exactly have money to go eat the feast for four at Sonny's. Our EotM Food is spaghetti. Let me tell you...after the cruise? I hated spaghetti. I was spoiled on that cruise. Eating whenever I wanted to, which was usually all the time. ANYWAY, before we went on the cruise, we spent the two weeks beforehand eating SOLELY spaghetti. Not just any spaghetti. Whole wheat spaghetti. I'm going to be honest with you (sorry, Mom). I HATE spaghetti. (Actually, I think my mom knows that.) But, guess what? I eat it. Because if I don't, I don't eat. (My mom happens to be awesome, and she's started getting this really good sauce, so it makes spaghetti more bearable. [ihatetomatoes.])

And that's when I start asking God...WHY! WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME EAT SPAGHETTI?!! YOU MADE WATER SPRING FROM A ROCK, BUT YOU CAN'T EVEN GIVE ME SOME MEAT?!! But then I'm reminded that there are kids in other countries who would LOVE to be eating that spaghetti. And I'm ungrateful because I'm spoiled and it's not something I love. It's just "bearable." How selfish is that?

It said that God's anger burned against Jacob (Israel). How do you think God feels when you're not thankful? When you're not actively thanking Him? His reaction is probably like my mom's...My mom makes me spaghetti. I don't thank her immediately...not until after I've taken a few bites. She never says anything at first. But normally, after I say "Thanks, Mom" there's a chorus of 'thanks, mom's' from my siblings...It's like that with God too. At first, He doesn't say anything. But then you keep ignoring that He's providing for you...and because you don't say thank you, the "baby" Christians that are looking up to you get it in their heads that they don't have to say it either.

And then, when God's people forget to thank Him...His anger burns against them. Right there. In verse 21.

The last verse I want to talk about is verse 22. It's more than just forgetting to thank Him. It's not trusting Him to take care of you or believing that He'll take care of you. I'm guilty of this. Thinking that I can take care of myself...or even that my parents can take care of me. But we can't even control our own breaths. We can't control anything about ourselves. We are completely dependent on God. We aren't capable of doing anything. (No pueden. Not able. In Spanish.)

What have we learned today?
1) We're whiny and lame like the Israelites...but ultimately, they're God's people. Even though they disobeyed Him and even though His anger rose against them. ("Where is there another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of His special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because You delight in showing unfailing love." - Micah 7:18)

2) God is able to do everything. There are things He chooses to do and things He chooses not to do. I believe He has that power because He alone is Sovereign. We have to learn how to accept what He does, and know that He's doing it for our good.