July 30 - Psalm 78:11

They forgot what

he had done

Psalm 78:11

O my people, open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past— stories we have heard and known. 

With those words, Psalm 78 opens. 

Yesterday, our theme was remembering. It was recalling -- calling back into existence (through memory) the truths about God ... and summoning, therefore, his power. 

Let me give you a taste from the midst of this long Psalm. We are told to ...

·       Recall "the glorious deeds of the Lord"

·       Recall "his power and his mighty wonders"

·       Recall "his laws [and] instructions ... issued ... to Jacob"

·       Recall "his glorious miracles"

·       Recall the "stubborn rebellio[n]" of previous generations and choose to "not be like th[ose] ancestors"

That's what we're told to recall in just the first eight verses. In the next 70 verses, we're told to recall how God "divided the sea," "led them by a cloud," and "made streams pour from the rock."

We are encouraged to recall God's provision. He generously provided "bread and meat" -- "manna" and quail. 

We're asked to recall that we really can spark God's "anger" and "wrath" whenever we do "not keep covenant." Scripture invites us to recall "how often they rebelled against him, ... grieved his heart, ... tested God’s patience and provoked the Holy One of Israel." And thereby encourages us to recall how often we have "rebelled against him, ... grieved his heart, ... tested God’s patience and provoked the Holy One of Israel." 

Yet, while we're pausing to consider the consequences of our rebellion, we also ought to recall -- in thanksgiving -- how "many times [God] held back his anger." (He is indeed, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.)

Psalm 78 recounts the Exodus and the years in the wilderness. And the point is this: If we don't stop -- frequently -- to recall the stories of God and his people, we're likely to repeat mistakes and miss blessings. 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who often forgets

why he walked into a room

(please, God, don't let me forget

your call, your truths, your provision)