Day 168
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| Wait for Deliverance! |
Scripture
Observation
Rounding out the psalms of Asaph (50, 73-83) are six testimonies to God's greatness. Psalm 78, the second longest psalm in the Bible, is filled with lessons from Israel's history; Psalm 79 draws painful lessons from the destruction of Jerusalem; Psalm 80 provides a moving prayer for the restoration of God's chastened people. In the face of affliction and injustice, the believer in God can still sing for joy (81-83).
Application
Are you profiting from the mistakes of the past generation or are you destined to repeat them?
Psalm 78 contains lessons from history regarding rebellious decisions and their painful consequences for the people of God. You'll find the psalm depressing because only the bad behavior of the nation is mentioned. God never whitewashes the conduct of his children. In spite of Israel's failings and faithlessness, God remained faithful. Time after time he demonstrated that a discipling Father can also be a loving Father.
Parent, do you children ever see you fail? Do they ever hear about the times when you disobeyed you disobeyed your Father in heaven, felt his hand of discipline, and learned to love him more because of it? Don't hide your frailties; learn form them. And allow your children to do the same. In this way you can show "these glorious deeds of Jehovah to your children so that they in turn could teach their children too. Thus his laws pass down from generation to generation. In this way each generation has been able to obey his laws and to set its hope anew on God and not forget his glorious miracles" (78:4, 6-7).
Your children will follow your footsteps more easily than they will follow your advice, particularly in the matter of learning from past failures. Turn bedtime into a clinic this evening—an opportunity to help your children profit from one of your past mistakes.
Psalm 78 contains lessons from history regarding rebellious decisions and their painful consequences for the people of God. You'll find the psalm depressing because only the bad behavior of the nation is mentioned. God never whitewashes the conduct of his children. In spite of Israel's failings and faithlessness, God remained faithful. Time after time he demonstrated that a discipling Father can also be a loving Father.
Parent, do you children ever see you fail? Do they ever hear about the times when you disobeyed you disobeyed your Father in heaven, felt his hand of discipline, and learned to love him more because of it? Don't hide your frailties; learn form them. And allow your children to do the same. In this way you can show "these glorious deeds of Jehovah to your children so that they in turn could teach their children too. Thus his laws pass down from generation to generation. In this way each generation has been able to obey his laws and to set its hope anew on God and not forget his glorious miracles" (78:4, 6-7).
Your children will follow your footsteps more easily than they will follow your advice, particularly in the matter of learning from past failures. Turn bedtime into a clinic this evening—an opportunity to help your children profit from one of your past mistakes.
Prayer
Lord, we don't want to ever make the mistake of claiming we have never made a mistake for we know learning about you we can turn back to you and your saving grace. Thank you for all the painful lessons in life that direct us right back to you and your Word. In Jesus name! Amen!
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| God's Saving Grace |
© Odessa Mathis about my Father's business! 2020
