READ: Psalms 78
Psalm
78 is a charge to parents and God-fearing people for all generations. In verse
one and two the psalmist urges the reader (or listener) to pay very close
attention. He announces he’s about to tell stories and it’s time to pass these
stories on. These stories are about the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord – not
just any old story. The instruction is clear, and plain, and very, very
forceful: We must tell the stories of what God has done in our lives to our
children and our children’s children. How will they know of our God and His
strength, His love and His forgiveness if we don’t tell them? Verse 7 gives us
the full purpose of telling these stories: so they would put their trust in God
and not forget what He has done and obey Him. The other side of this is to
ensure they don’t become like those who have walked away from God in
stubbornness and rebellion.
Unlike
our culture that puts such a heavy emphasis on Pinterest-perfect lives and
revealing the beautiful things while hiding the messy parts of life, Asaph, the
Psalmist, begins by telling the stories of the failure of the people. In verse
10 he starts out by saying “they did not keep God’s covenant”. Then he
continues with the history of his people who sinned against God time after time
after time, while God continued to be faithful. Not only did God continue in
faithfulness, He also saved them with miracle after miracle. He responded to
their grumbling and complaining with blessing upon blessing. The psalmist also
tells how God got angry with their rebelling, grumbling and complaining. He
tells stories of God’s supernatural provision and the people’s calloused
responses to His out-pouring of love, kindness and forgiveness.
Verse
32 must be one of the saddest verses in all of the Bible. It explains how, in
spite of all God did for them, in spite of His miraculous wonders, they kept on
sinning. Not exactly Pinterest-perfect! This is why they ended up in even more
desperate situations. He allowed them to be killed in war. Celebrations
stopped. The ark went into captivity. It was as if God Himself was turning His
face away.
Then
God, who cannot stay away long from those He loves, rose up again and began to
pour out His power and show His might again for His people. Eventually, God
chose a line of people – the clan of Judah – through whom came King David and
through whom eventually would come the final salvation. This is why we must not
let our children forget. Not our children, and not the children in the
generations to come.
JOURNALING AND
PRAYER
1. Do your children,
or parents, or siblings, or best friends know your testimony? Do they only know
the ‘good’ parts or do they also know the parts that required a Saviour? Take a
few minutes to write down the names of those people close to you who may not
know your story of the things God has done for you, in you and in spite of you.
2. Considering our
culture prides itself on Pinterest-perfect or Facebook-worthy, airbrushed,
photo-shopped, filtered images that supposedly give a peek into our lives, ask
the Lord if you have ever been, or are currently, guilty of presenting your
sin, and real-life issues to God in a ‘touched-up’ version. Ask the Lord if
there is anything in your life, including past (forgiven) sin you are hiding
out of shame, instead of sharing God’s glory and story through it. Confess as
necessary. Spend a few minutes in pure, unfiltered confession to the Lord.
3. Write down a short
(few sentences to a paragraph, or do it point-form if that’s easier) testimony
of an area God has given you freedom in, or a miracle He has performed on your behalf.
Remember to include your desperate need, and God’s incredible action toward you
because of His love. Ask the Lord for the words to write, and when it’s done,
ask Him who you should share it with today. (The names may come from #1.)
