#DailyDevotion The God Of Israel Is Not A Glum God
Psalm 81 Sing joyfully to God, our Strength; shout in triumph to Jacob’s God. 2Sing a psalm and beat the tambourine; play the lyre with its pleasant music and the lute. 3Blow the trumpet on the first of the month, at the full moon, on the day of our festival. 4This is a law for Israel, an ordinance from Jacob’s God.
Some think the God of the Bible is a very glum God. He has all these rules! Yet some of these precepts are about having parties and celebrating. Here the psalmist is reminding the Israelites about celebrating the monthly festival. Yes, they were supposed to celebrate once a month, the beginning of the month. Our LORD is the Creator of time. God’s people in the past were called to celebrate the passing of time. They were to sing joyfully to God, their Strength that they made it to another month. They were to shout in triumph to Jacob’s God that He had given them another month to live and partake of all His blessings.
Why don’t we celebrate more as Christians? We even have more to celebrate. The God of Jacob, the Strength of Israel has become flesh and dwelt among us. He offered up Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. By His sacrifice our sins are atoned for and we are reconciled to God our Father. Having a worship service with a barbecue once a month sounds like fun. (Yes, I can hear some women going, “Who is going to cook all this stuff and prepare the party?” Well maybe that’s why the early Church gave up on it, in Christian freedom.) Of course, Jesus, his life, death and resurrection is the fulfillment of this celebration, so we don’t have to celebrate it like the Israelites. A monthly BBQ still sounds pretty fun though.
5This is the testimony God gave in behalf of Joseph when He went to war against Egypt: “When I heard a language I didn’t understand, 6I took the burden off his shoulder, and his hands were freed from the basket. 7When you called in distress, I rescued you; hidden in thunder, I answered you. I tested your loyalty at the Water of Meribah.
The LORD now speaks to His people to remember how He rescued them from Egypt. It is their Passover when He redeemed His people. We celebrate Jesus, our Passover every Sunday, particularly when we celebrate the LORD’s Supper.
8Listen, My people, and I will warn you. O Israel, if you will only listen to Me! 9Don’t ever have a strange god among you; don’t ever worship a foreign god. 10I am the LORD your God, Who took you out of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. 11But My people didn’t listen to Me; Israel didn’t want to follow Me. 12So I let them go their stubborn way and follow their own plans. 13If only My people would listen to Me and Israel would live in My ways, 14how quickly I would make their enemies surrender as I turn My hand against their foes. 15May those who hate the LORD cringe before Him, may they have everlasting trouble. 16But I would feed Israel with the finest wheat and satisfy him with honey from a rock.”
The LORD pleads with His people to listen to Him, obey His commandments, reject foreign gods and have Him alone be their God. If they would do this, He would rescue them from their enemies and provide for them their every need and good thing.
If we would only trust the words of Jesus, would we not also not live in fear or anxiety? Doesn’t He promise us every good thing from God our Father?
Heavenly Father, increase our faith in Your promises that we may receive from Your right hand every good thing and not live in fear and anxiety. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.