But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and (they) put God to the test in the desert;
Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise.
but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did. They served their idols, which became a snare to them.
Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.
For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love. (Psalm 106:13-14, 24, 35-36, 39, 45 ESV)
Whoa.
I mean, whoooaaa---.
God remembered His covenant. Well what "covenant"?
That should be the first question in order to share with me the "whoa".
Otherwise it's just a smack over the head, and you walk away;
In one ear, out the other;
It will just pass right over!
Did it?
Did you understand those verses? I mean did it make sense to you? Maybe read it again to double check.
The first reference is talking about how they (God's people) forgot about God. Understandable, we are forgetful beings. Though that does not justify their forgetfulness. Then they got inpatient with God's timing, and decided not to wait for His counsel. They let their cravings take over, and cravings that are not directed toward God are wanton by nature. (I'm talking to Christians who believe that God is God, and believe the bible when it says that all glory belongs to Him). And in their depravity, and throughout the 40 years of going around in the wilderness, they topped it all off by assuming they were in a position to test God. And all this was AFTER they saw 10 plagues, a pillar of guiding fire by night, and the freaking ocean split and swallow the Egyptians! Sighhhhhh.
Then it says: "they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise"
God's people started thinking "that place God speaks of (Canaan) is probably not even that great." How I've had that same reaction so many times myself as a means of protecting my ego or my emotions. Rather than facing my depravity and failings, and holding fast to God as good, I have oftentimes blamed God for bad circumstances and with that foolish mentality I contaminated, for myself, God's good and perfect will (which of course never changes on His end).
They went farther by conforming to the people around them, looking to other people, things, and ideas to satisfy them! They acted like whores.
Having once claiming to "love God" they turned their backs on Him when they didn't get what they wanted, when they wanted, and how they wanted. That's not love! I would never marry someone who said they would love me only if and when I did what they wanted, how they wanted and when they wanted. I'd say that sounds more like a slave than a loving relationship. Yet I have turned my back on God many times to chase after other things to satisfy me, all whilst saying "yea God, I love you, but" ...I would love sin. God and sin cannot be in the same heart.
Yet. Yet God kept from wiping all those insignificant and disobedient people out because of His mercy. He remembered His covenant, and in His steadfast love for His people, for you and me, He showed us mercy even when we did all that.
We are here because of His steadfast love for us.
His covenant from the very beginning, which was man's redemption (aka to be able to be with God) to "crush the head of the serpent(sin)", fulfilled by Jesus's death and resurrection is what amplifies God's love for you and me. He loved His people back then, and He loves His people today.
Just like the Israelites I have made heinous mistakes and presumptions about what God should and shouldn't be or therefore do. I have gotten angry with Him, I have blamed Him, and I have turned to other "gods" to replace what I lacked in Him. Yet throughout all this, I have found that only in my deepest darkest hours, my most pathetic and humiliating weaknesses has God proved His steadfast love for me strongest. It's by His grace that I have experienced any pain if that led me to correct my view of God. Otherwise I would have left my faith behind. But God was relentless in His love for me! He wouldn't let me go!
Take heart, when bad things happen it could just be that in God's great mercy and steadfast love He is essentially calling you to Him. Because it is in those moments that you have the grace to make a choice whether to have faith in God or not. Believe in God!
If I had never suffered I would never have questioned my theology, or view of God. The joy of suffering is sharing in God's completeness.
James 1:2-4 says
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
God promised to make a way for us to Him, to perfection and completeness. Think again when you start to crave wanton things in your depravity, and remember the steadfast love of God who, by grace, is letting you go through whatever ensnares you so that you see how it leads to nothing, in order for you to come to the decision to repent and turn back to Him.
Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word.
This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
(Psalm 119:41-42, 50 ESV)
Whoa. I see His steadfast love for me!
J.
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