December 22, 2020 – Late Tuesday Evening
“Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.
They quickly forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel…” ~Psalm 106:12-13
Oh, how quickly the human mind forgets the goodness of God! In these two verses we see the fickleness and sorry plight of the human race; we are never satisfied with the good we have been blessed with and we are constantly craving for more. Even for those who have come to know the Lord and His mercy, grace, and goodness, we too easily fall prey to forgetfulness and impatient doubt.
What does this have to do with Christmas? Well, everything…actually. See, we are desperately and hopelessly lost in our own ways and bent on obtaining whatever it is that we want at the moment. Like the foolish Israelites of old, we lust and covet and scratch and claw to try and control our situation. Yet, without the intervention of the God who created us, we are doomed to a repetitive cycle of temporary pleasure, disappointing heartache, and emptiness. This is why Jesus came – to set the captives free and to give true life that is abundant and deeply satisfying. He dealt the death blow to sin and He bore our penalty in order that we might be reconciled to God.
For those of us who have been awakened to the real meaning of Christ-mas and have tasted this new life, the alarming picture in the verses above should cause us to pause and take careful note. The Israelites, God’s chosen people who witnessed miracle after miracle, are the ones who forgot the LORD’s works and impatiently went their own way. We might expect such behavior from those who have no idea of just how good God is, but from those who were called by His own name and given His very presence?! We may look down on them for their faithless and treacherous attitude, but how often do we forget His goodness and power and fail to walk in the abundant life?
Oh, my friends! Let us celebrate the coming of our Deliverer and Redeemer and remember His love and faithfulness, especially when our days may be dark and filled to overflowing with pain and sadness. He is still God and He is still able to do anything that is in line with His nature and character! Let us not forget and let us continue to praise His worthy name! He will sustain those who trust in Him and He will give His grace for our every need. May His peace surround you this Christmas and may you be reminded again and again of His great love and ability! Merry Christmas!