Advent 2011 - Day 3 - Faithless People, Faithful God

Psalm 78

13He divided the sea and let them pass through it,

   and made the waters stand like a heap.

14 In the daytime he led them with a cloud,

   and all the night with a fiery light.

15He split rocks in the wilderness

   and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.

16He made streams come out of the rock

   and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

25Man ate of the bread of the angels;

   he sent them food in abundance.

26He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,

   and by his power he led out the south wind;

27he rained meat on them like dust,

   winged birds like the sand of the seas;

28he let them fall in the midst of their camp,

   all around their dwellings.

29And they ate and were well filled,

   for he gave them what they craved.

32In spite of all this, they still sinned;

    despite his wonders, they did not believe.

33So he made their days vanish like a breath,

   and their years in terror.

34When he killed them, they sought him;

   they repented and sought God earnestly.

35They remembered that God was their rock,

   the Most High God their redeemer.

36But they flattered him with their mouths;

   they lied to him with their tongues.

37Their heart was not steadfast toward him;

   they were not faithful to his covenant.

38Yet he, being compassionate,

    atoned for their iniquity

   and did not destroy them;

he restrained his anger often

   and did not stir up all his wrath.

39He remembered that they were but flesh,

    a wind that passes and comes not again.

40How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness

   and grieved him in the desert!

68but he chose the tribe of Judah,

   Mount Zion, which he loves.

70He chose David his servant

   and took him from the sheepfolds;

71from following the nursing ewes he brought him

   to shepherd Jacob his people,

   Israel his inheritance.

72With upright heart he shepherded them

   and guided them with his skillful hand. 

God provides what his people need. He is faithful when we are faithless. We have from him not only undeserved favor but ill-deserved favor. Not only did we do nothing to deserve it, but we what we did do deserves the exact opposite.

Why does he do this? Because he is "the LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness."

So what do we do with that?

Psalm 107

1 Oh give thanks to the LORD for he is good,

 for his steadfast love endures forever!

2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,

whom he has redeemed from trouble

14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,

and burst their bonds apart.

15 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!