October 15

Psalm 106 God is full of lovingkindness and mercy, but He is also full of justice. It is His glory to reveal both. His lovingkindness and mercy postpones the day of judgment that we might have time to repent and receive a greater measure of mercy. The history of the nation of Israel, recited in this psalm, is an example of God’s mercy extended over centuries of waiting for the corporate repentance of the nation, but finally the day of judgment had to come. That day was foreshadowed in the wilderness:

They soon forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel, But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul.

I often marvel at how quickly they forgot His works. They were less than a week into the desert, after the miraculous Passover, when they forgot those works. They lusted exceedingly for water (Exodus 15:22-26), meat and bread (Exodus 16:1-16). Those are things that every one of us would call the basic necessities of life. Each of us would have lusted for the same. Rather than wait for His counsel, they murmured against Moses. Why would they not wait for His counsel? They forgot His glory. The focus on their desires instead of His glory spiraled into murmuring, testing God. When His glory appeared, it was not enough for them. He gave them the manna and quail. Greedily they gathered and ate the quail (Numbers 11:31-34). They received the meat they wanted, but their souls were dry. Hmmmm. . . God’s glory is constantly available for me to gaze at in His word. His Spirit is ever present to illuminate it. Are my requests of Him for the increase of His glory, or are they for the fulfilling of my desires? Maybe that is why my/our prayer life exhibits a leanness of soul. O sure, He does grant requests in prayer. They are indeed ‘blessings,’ but do they bring a fatness or leanness of soul? Do the requests of my/our prayer life bring an increase to His glory or my/our desires? O Lord, let my gaze and desire be upon You and Your glory! Satisfy me only with Your glory and not my desires! “Save us, O LORD our God, . . . To give thanks to Your holy name, To triumph in Your praise.” Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john