Psalm 80:1-7

“O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.” vss. 7-8 

In general the brutal honesty of the various psalmists is refreshing. This one has a complaint against the Lord God, the One who had led Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Things are not going well: armies have been defeated, and enemies are threatening on every side. The psalmist can’t understand how a loving God could stand by and let them be ravaged by their foes. His conclusion is that God has become angry with them. That’s not an uncommon feeling among God’s chosen ones. And it’s not only Israel that has a bone to pick. Often we’ll see followers of Jesus who are flummoxed when things don’t go their way. It could be that some loved one has died unexpectedly and when it appears that the death has been arbitrary and unfair, God often gets the blame. For some it’s the first thing that comes to mind! And it’s not only death that triggers our displeasure with God. Anytime things aren’t going our way we’re likely to explode in a tirade of complaints and laments. Our childlike faith convinces us that since we worship regularly, tithe generously, and feed the hungry, we deserve to be taken care of by God. Of course as our faith matures we come to realize that stuff just happens, and God is the One who brings relief.

Thought for the Day: What’s mature faith?