Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; he rained down on them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven.” vss. 23-24
Psalm 78:23-29
As he reminded his readers of Israel’s history, this psalmist could scarcely restrain himself as he recounted the insolent and treacherous behavior of the multitude that followed Moses through the wilderness. In his estimation their whining and complaining was nothing short of despicable. They deserve destruction, but instead they received from the hand of the Lord everything that their hearts desired, food in abundance and springs of living water. And the psalmist was amazed! And so are we when God’s goodness keeps on piling up in our lives, especially when we’ve done so little to deserve it. Even on our worst days, during those sad forgettable times when we’re overcome by base desires and shameful acts, God’s gifts never stop coming our way. We have food in abundance, comfortable homes, and daily reap the bounty of creation. Sometimes people of faith wish that there was a direct correlation between behavior and consequences. They presume that individuals and countries would be more likely to be good if punishment immediately followed their folly. But that’s not how God operates. God’s blessings are showered on all, regardless of their degree of brokenness. We are called to live lives of purity and holiness, not so we can get more goodies, but in order to extend God’s loving mercy and kindness to all, even when they don’t deserve it.
Thought for the Day: What motivates me to be loving?
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