Wednesday 26 Jul 2023

July 26: Psalm 78:17-20

Key Verse: Psalm 78:18
They wilfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved.

Devotion:
Yesterday we heard Jeremiah giving warnings to the people of God against testing God and I mentioned the people of Israel and their antics in the desert. Today we read a Psalm which was recounting God’s goodness to the people and Israel’s ingratitude. This is to remind us the prophets came to show the way and the promises of God, promises He always keeps and what we have to endure if we do not trust those promises.

Jesus came to expand on everything the prophets had said and to make sure people stopped and listened once and for all; yet we have so many people who continue to act in ingratitude and some in ignorance. Ingratitude from the people who know what God has said and done but continue to ignore Him in their lives or expect Him to do everything for them all of the time, and ignorance from the people who do not yet know the meaning of the gospel.

God wants us to be like the psalmist here, recounting the things from the past to show people God keeps His promises and they are important in our lives. This is why He has made sure we have our bibles and we should continue to be good students and disciples of this Word taking it out to others through what we say and do. This does not only show others there is a God but also reminds us and shows God we care!

Knowing these truths, we should not continue to sin against God but should be working towards righteousness and sharing of the gospel just as He has asked of us. Then there is the doubts we harbour… We continue to doubt God’s promises when we come up against life’s hardships. Instead we should be praying to ask for strength and guidance to get us through these hardships and then acting on what He show us.

Points to Ponder:
Are you inadvertently putting God to the test?

Will you read a little more, listen a little more and do a little more for God?