Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe in His word, but grumbled in their tents; they did not listen to the voice of the Lord. 

Psalm 106: 24-25

These verses come shortly behind the verses listing how God delivered the Israelites at the Red Sea, and then they quickly forgot His works and began murmuring about eating manna everyday.  In response, God provided quail for literally millions of people.  They feasted on quail and soon enough forgot God their savior and made a molten image of a calf to worship.  A calf who did not make the Red Sea part for them, a calf who did not feed them manna or quail or deliver them from their enemies.

The psalm continues to using these words to describe the Israelites and their behavior – grumbled, provoked God, were rebellious against God’s Spirit, served idols, sacrificed their sons and daughters, played the harlot…

But, and here’s the good news, the psalm closes with these words, “Nevertheless He looked upon their distress, when He heard their cry; And He remembered His covenant for their sake, and relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness.  He also made them objects of compassion in the presence of all their captors.”

I don’t know about you but some of the words used to describe the Israelites could be used to describe me.  Grumbled, were rebellious, provoked God, served idols.  Ugh! Ever been there, done that?

Like them, our only hope is the lovingkindness of God and His faithfulness to the covenant He made for our sake.

He has made us an object of compassion, His compassion, in spite of our failings.

He has purposed to give us the pleasant land, a land with healing, joy, peace, safety and His abiding presence.  He didn’t say the journey to get there would be easy, only that He would be with us.  Guiding, protecting, upholding, bringing provision, keeping us in health but mostly, loving us all the way in to our inheritance in Him.  Could a molten calf do that?

Lord, you are more precious than silver.  Lord, you are more costly than  gold.  Lord, you are more beautiful than diamonds,  And nothing I desire  compares with you.  Lord, let that be true in my life and forgive me for the times when it is not.  My only hope is You, thank You for Your lovingkindness towards me, in Jesus’s name, amen.

I would love to hear from you. Please let me know if I can be praying for you as well.