"But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away and cometh not again.
How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel."
Psalms 78:38-41
These verses are talking about the Children of Israel. God led them through the wilderness and fed them with manna, and they still sought things that weren't pleasing to him. The thing that I found interesting about these is at the very end. That they turned back and tempted God, and limited him as well. Limited God? I wonder if this means limited him in their perceptions, or whether it means, literally, that he was limited in what he could give and offer them since they weren't being righteous. They asked him for flesh to eat since they were getting tired of manna... but they didn't just ask... they were like, well... God did this cool thing and that cool thing, why can't he at least give us some meat? Were they doubting the Lord's ability to do something? Sometimes I wonder if we fall into the same traps. God has blessed us abundantly, but still we doubt and complain, and say, "why can't he at least do _____?" Whatever it is. I think that the Israelites might have gotten a lot better response by asking humbly and politely rather than demanding, or asking for yet another proof that God was there. Even with people, asking is better than demanding and whining. Probably a good approach with God as well. :)
For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away and cometh not again.
How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel."
Psalms 78:38-41
These verses are talking about the Children of Israel. God led them through the wilderness and fed them with manna, and they still sought things that weren't pleasing to him. The thing that I found interesting about these is at the very end. That they turned back and tempted God, and limited him as well. Limited God? I wonder if this means limited him in their perceptions, or whether it means, literally, that he was limited in what he could give and offer them since they weren't being righteous. They asked him for flesh to eat since they were getting tired of manna... but they didn't just ask... they were like, well... God did this cool thing and that cool thing, why can't he at least give us some meat? Were they doubting the Lord's ability to do something? Sometimes I wonder if we fall into the same traps. God has blessed us abundantly, but still we doubt and complain, and say, "why can't he at least do _____?" Whatever it is. I think that the Israelites might have gotten a lot better response by asking humbly and politely rather than demanding, or asking for yet another proof that God was there. Even with people, asking is better than demanding and whining. Probably a good approach with God as well. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment