Advent-Christmas Devotions
Wednesday, December 17
Psalm 80:8-13
8 You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches;
11 it sent out its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.
“… Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? …”
It’s often difficult to understand the ways of the Lord. That’s what the psalmist laments here. God delivered the Hebrew people from Pharoah’s brickyard, led them into the promised land, and helped them to prosper and multiply. Now, God seems to be abandoning God’s people – turning their land and their lives upside down. What’s with this, God?
Understanding the ways of the Lord is sometimes difficult. Why does God allow terrible things to happen? Why does God seem to bless with one hand and curse with the other? Give, then take away. It is certainly confusing even to the most learned of scholars. Many times, like the psalmist, we throw up our hands in a state of frustration.
The Scriptures remind us that “God’s ways are not our ways”. While sometimes that offers comfort and consolation, at other times it just doesn’t make any sense. What is God up to? Where is this going? How will we know the way?
Thankfully, God is God, and God’s ways remain unknown to us for reasons we will never understand. Furthermore, God has no need to explain to us rationale or purpose. God’s only asks that we keep the faith, trust in the Lord, and follow where God leads. When that happens, not only do all the questions seem to fade away. We also discover the peace that passes all human understanding.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for Your divine forbearance and Your never-ending love for Your people. Show me Your path for my life. Amen.