Yet again, I’ve missed my 3 pm deadline.  (Those who know me, I’m sure, are not surprised I’m running late.)  Just a little extra grace required this week as we get ready to kick-off our new year with middle and high school students for worship and small groups on Wednesday nights.  TONIGHT!  So, I must take a little moment of silence to calm myself before diving in to this next chapter…

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After accomplishing a great task, the Israelites take some time worship, fasting, and prayer.  This is what helps strengthen weaknesses.  It also reveals our own sinfulness in comparison to God’s greatness and compassion.  In light of how good God is, we are humbled to mourn for our sin and delight in who He is and all that He has done and will do for us.  We are often compelled to go to God when we are weary and heavy burdened, but do we also make a point to set our sights on Him when we’ve been victorious? 

The Israelites began their prayer with praising the Lord, “who is from everlasting to everlasting.”  They then acknowledged His might and past victories, His faithfulness, forgiveness, compassion, and promise of reward.  Here are a few key phrases that I was greatly encouraged to read: 

you did not abandon (vs. 19); you did not cease to guide (vs. 19); you gave your good Spirit to instruct (vs. 20); you did not withhold [nourishment] (vs. 20); for forty years you sustained… they lacked nothing (vs. 21); you gave (vs 22).

All of this faithfulness on God’s part remained despite the unfaithfulness of His people.  What did they do?  They became arrogant, lazy, bitter, disobedient, refused to listen, created other gods.  And how did God respond?  He was a “forgiving God, gracious and compasionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. (vs. 17)”  They messed up and rebelled over and over and again.  “And when they cried out to [God] again, [He] heard from heaven, and in [His] compassion [He] delivered them time after time. (vs. 28)”  God was always there to pick up the pieces.  How my heart hurts for how they misused, mistreated, and abandoned God!  And yet, I’m convicted of the many times I’ve done the same.  However, I’m encouraged to know that if God was faithful to them, He will be to me as well.

So why was this important and such a big part of the Israelites’ prayer?  Well, they were talking about their forefathers and how they were continuing to reap consequences from things in the past.  (Did you get that?  Their kings, leaders, priests, and fathers did not follow God’s law.  And it not only affected them, but all who came after them.  What we do affects other people.)  But were they bitter?  NO!  Did they speak ill of those who had come before them?  NO!  Did they turn from God?  NO!  They spoke with humility, thankfulness, and preparation for what’s next.  They said that “In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong. (vs. 33)”  They did not hide from their own imperfections and wrongdoings and merely point fingers at others (even though their frustration was obvious).  They praised.  They recounted and recognized God’s faithfulness in the past to let Him know they held to His promises.  They were in great distress for their future because of past and personal sin, but upheld obedience and honor as the most precious goal.

I hope to be more like the Israelites in my hopes and prayers and less like thier forefathers.  Because of all they had learned from the past and all they knew of their own sinfulness, they were ready to make an agreement.  A promise to assume responsibility, to be obedient.  (We’ll read more about that in the next chapter.)  They knew hope was on the horizon and were ready for a change.

 Prayer is key.  Hope is a gift.  Trust is what’s required.