How should we respond to God’s Goodness?

Psalm 68:19 supplies us with a pretty good answer! “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” Yes, simply bless the Name of the Lord!

Today’s Text, Psalm 78:14-17, tells us how NOT to respond!

“In the daytime also He (the Lord) led them (Israel) with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. AND THEY SINNED YET MORE AGAINST HIM BY PROVOKING THE MOST HIGH IN THE WILDERNESS.” 

Wow!

God was kind, gracious to His people.

And they (Israel, after leaving Egypt and heading toward Canaan) responded by complaining, grumbling, and disobeying Him!

The Shekinah Glory Cloud to guide them! Protecting from the hot sun in the daytime and warming them at night, in the cold desert air. The Hebrew word “shakan” means “to abide, to dwell” with a people! God “at home” in their midst!

Then another miracle … water from rocks! (Split rocks!)

A Picture of Jesus (the Rock of Ages) being smitten, stricken (at the Cross) and thereby giving torrents of refreshing water, the very water of life!

They the people always wanted “more.”

Or what was provided did not satisfy them!

Yes, the “provoked” God Almighty!

The verb “provoke” translates in Hebrew “marah,” the act of being “rebellious, disobedient,” even “bitter.”

Oh, to be more thankful today!

Also to be more content!

Let these words of Jeremiah express our sentiment today. “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell