Psalm 78:1-8 – “Give ear, O my people, to my instruction; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength and His wondrous works that He has done.
For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, and not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God.”
I write this as one sinner to another, holding fast to the promises of God even while everything around me seems to be falling further away from the Living God. I know that we are warned in 1 Peter 5:8 –“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” I see the Church under attack, and while I do know that God is sovereign over all, and not one of those who are truly God’s will fall away (Rom 8:38) I also know that His sovereignty has ordained that His people fight against this adversary. I know as we are told in Ephesians 6:12 – “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
These things come to mind when I consider what God has for us in Psalm 78, a blueprint for remaining faithful to God amidst a faithless world. The Psalm opens by reminding the hearers that they are commanded by God (Deut 6:6-9) to teach their children about God, and all His works. He gives an example of Jacob and the law, which represents both God’s promise to Israel (including the grace of God shown to Israel even in their disobedience) and the law of Moses, which pointed to the righteousness of God. Verse 8 ends with a warning, not to be like some, who were stubborn and rebellious, who did not prepare their hearts, the outcome of which was a spirit that was not faithful to God. The psalm speaks about generations, but I want to speak about days. Today, have you prepared your heart to be faithful to God? Have you read, thought on, meditated on the works of God from scripture, to fear Him, know Him, trust Him, love Him, and set Him before you as ultimate in your heart’s affections? If you haven’t prepared your heart, then your spirit will not be faithful to God. Days of disobedience can turn to weeks, can turn to months, can turn to years, very quickly. Many of you I know, and as your brother in Christ, know that you are loved and cared for – we cannot be apathetic in our pursuit of God. We have an enemy that is all too active and ready to lure us away from the God who loves us.
Even with a heart that has meditated on God daily, the struggles and battles of life will come. Let yesterday be yesterday, but prepare for tomorrow today. Our God is too great to sit in silence, there is no end to His might or His perfections. He is our hope when we have none. Guard your heart; preach to it; meditate on the works of God in the Bible. Prepare your heart to be steadfast in love for God, and preach the same to the next generation.
Grace and Peace,
Adam
Following the Way 