Yesterday I shared my background in Psalm 78. The point was that I know that Psalm well. It was in our study this morning. I mentioned I saw things in it I had not seen before.
Look at Psalm 78:40 – 42. Two words nearly leaped off the page at me, “grieved” and “pained”. The context suggests that it grieves and pains the Lord when we do not remember what He has done in our lives and trust Him in all of our circumstances.
If I am honest, I have grieved and pained the Lord in that way. In the midst of trouble it is sometimes hard to remember what He has done for me. Thus the need for journals and beyond that to review those journals to remember what God has done. But even with that tool, I tend to try to solve problems on my own, trusting my ability, my creativity, and not the Lord. Grieving and paining Him.
I am dealing with an issue now. It is one I can either choose to trust Him or else try to solve on my own. I am praying – at some level I feel like David in Psalm 119:32, the only way I will be able not to grieve and pain Him is through His enabling grace.
On my own, I am too weak.
If I am honest, I have grieved and pained the Lord in that way. In the midst of trouble it is sometimes hard to remember what He has done for me. Thus the need for journals and beyond that to review those journals to remember what God has done. But even with that tool, I tend to try to solve problems on my own, trusting my ability, my creativity, and not the Lord. Grieving and paining Him.
I am dealing with an issue now. It is one I can either choose to trust Him or else try to solve on my own. I am praying – at some level I feel like David in Psalm 119:32, the only way I will be able not to grieve and pain Him is through His enabling grace.
On my own, I am too weak.
Powerful insight, Mike. I am frequently amazed at how stunning truths are "hidden in plain sight" in His Words to us. I'm assuming the reference here is vs. 40-42, since v. 42 introduces the reason, the way they caused His grief and pain.
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt the most significant way I display my poor memory is by forgetting the way the Lord has poured rivers of grace into and over me my entire life - beginning with His blood shed on the cross. The tentacles of this shame reach into every area of my life. In reality, having given me Christ, everything else He has done for me taken together doesn't amount to anything. Having died for me why should I expect anything else?
Yet He does. I remember years ago John Stott commenting on Hebrews 2:18 observed, "If God gave us the package, why would He withhold the wrapping?"
My dear, godly wife always saw the wrapping along with the package and rejoiced in the finger of God in multiple actions no matter how difficult the day,
Me? I always see what He didn't do...and I weep with shame.
Yep, I proofed the thing several times and missed the typo. Fixed now. Thanks for letting me know.
DeleteI really like your reference to "rivers of grace," that captures His heart toward us well.