17 December 2016

Psalm 80: 3-7

This is a tough one. This psalm begins by calling God our Shepherd, and asks for rescue from trouble. No problem there. It acknowledges that only through God’s favor and mercy will we be saved. No problem there.

Where I begin to struggle is with verses four and five that talk about an angry God that makes us drink bucketfulls of tears. A God who has made us the scorn of neighboring nations and the butt of jokes amongst them.

Wow. That is not the God I know. That is not the loving God that I await and that I experience.

Restoration to God’s Way is an ongoing journey to perfection…I call upon God to help me as I journey, and I believe and know that He hears me and comes to my aid daily. Moments when I have cried buckets, I know that those moments were of profound healing through this Jesus that we await and who lives in us. Moments when I have felt scorned, or when I have been the butt of jokes, I have also felt tremendous protection, comfort, and hope through this Christ who came and is coming to restore us to Him.

For these reasons, I sing, “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine. Oh, What a foretaste of Glory Divine!”