Your Job Description

He chose his servant David, calling him from the sheep pens. He took David from tending the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacob's descendants – God's own people, Israel. He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands. Psalm 78: 70-72 NLT

God needed a shepherd for his people....so God chose a shepherd. Literally. That is what David was – a shepherd.

Talk about a great job description and fit!

God needed someone to care for God's people. God needed someone who had a true heart for the people and would lead them skillfully. Why not a shepherd? It was a natural match.

What is God calling you to do with your life? Perhaps, if you look carefully at your own life, you will see that what you are naturally, the skills you learned early on, are what God needs now. How can you respond to God's call?

God, help me to see where you are calling me in my life. Help me to accept my own talents and skills that I already have and know where to put them for your use. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

God in a Drunken Stupor

Then the Lord rose up as thought waking from sleep,like a warrior aroused from a drunken stupor. He routed his enemies and sent them to eternal shame. But he rejected Joseph's descendants; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim. He chose instead the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion, which he loved. There he built his sanctuary as high as the heavens, as solid and enduring as the earth. Psalm 78: 65-69 NLT

God waking up as from a drunken stupor? Routing his enemies while suffering from hangover? Choosing a new favorite son to carry on the family business?

What kind of God is this? Would God really be that far gone to be considered drunk? Would God go to sleep on us and get up in a foul mood? Would God abandon us for someone else?

I think the key verse in this passage is that God ends up building God's sanctuary “as high as the heavens and as solid and enduring as the earth.” The idea seems to be that when God did set out to rebuild, God made it stronger.

I wonder if that is what happened with allowing Jesus to die on the cross. With the resurrection, God made Jesus stronger and revoked the power of death on all who believed.

God, help me to wake up from the stupor I am in. May I rebuild my life in the image of the one who loves me. In His name I pray. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

How Angry Can God Get?

They turned back and were faithless as their parents. They were as undependable as a crooked bow. They angered God by building shrines to other gods; they made him jealous with their idols. When God heard them, he was very angry, and he completely rejected Israel. Then he abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh, the Tabernacle where he had lived among the people. He allowed the Ark of his might to be captured; he surrendered his glory into enemy hands. He gave his people over to be butchered by the sword, because he was so angry with his own people – his special possession. Their young men were killed by fire; their young women died before singing their wedding songs. Their priests were slaughtered, and their widows could not mourn their deaths. Psalm 78: 57-64 NLT

How angry does God have to be before he forsakes us?

In the books of Judges and I Samuel, God gets so jealous and angry with God's people. God finally gives up and allows his holy dwelling to be desecrated and the Ark to be captured. God allowed the people to be killed. This was not just a whim on God's part. God had tried again and again to allow the people to stay on the right path, but they never did. They were just like the previous generation in the desert, forever complaining and never doing as God asked.

What kinds of behavior do you see yourself doing as previous generations in your family? Is history repeating itself? Or have you broken the mold and done your faith journey differently? In your life, have you ever felt you had truly angered God? What kind of things happened to make you think that?

God, we don't want you to be angry at us so that your forsake us entirely. We tend to turn back and be as faithless as previous generations. May we turn around to you and follow where you lead now and always. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

Like a Flock of Sheep

But he led his own people like a flock of sheep, guiding them safely through the wilderness. He kept them safe so they were not afraid; but the sea covered their enemies. He brought them to the border of his holy land, to this land of hills he had won for them. He drove out the nations before them; he gave them their inheritance by lot. He settled the tribes of Israel into their homes. But they kept testing and rebelling against God Most High. They did not obey his laws. Psalm 78: 52-56 NLT

The imagery of God as our shepherd is found throughout the bible. It must also be a comforting image because the 23^rd Psalm is often read at funerals. But what does this imagery really mean for us?

It means we are dumb animals. We are just looking for something to eat or drink. We are easily frightened and not very obedient. We tend to know our shepherd's commands, however, and don't easily follow one who is not recognized as our shepherd. But if we stray from the flock, we are pretty much doomed. We can't find our own grass or water. We can be prey to many wild predators as well as in danger from the pitfalls of the land itself.

In Psalm 78, the imagery of God leading God's people as though they are sheep is very true. The people had just been released from slavery and had absolutely no idea of where they were going. Yet, even though God kept them safe, they still rebelled and tested God. They were still dumb animals.

God, help me to act more like your follower than just a dumb animal. I know I have tested you, failed to follow your laws and rebelled. Forgive me. Continue to have mercy on me and guide me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

What has God done for you?

They did not remember his miraculous signs in Egypt, his wonders on the plain of Zoan. For he turned their rivers into blood, so no one could drink from the streams. He sent vast swarms of flies to consume them and hordes of frogs to ruin them. He gave their crops to caterpillars; their harvest was consumed by locusts. He destroyed their grapevines with hail and shattered their sycamore-figs with sleet. He abandoned their cattle to the hail, their livestock to bolts of lightening. He loosed on them his fierce anger -- all his fury, rage and hostility. He dispatched against them a band of destroying angels. He turned his anger against them; he did not spare the Egyptians' lives but ravaged them with the plague. He killed the oldest son in each Egyptian family, the flower of youth throughout the land of Egypt. Psalm 78: 43-51 NLT

In just a few verses, we have the whole story of God convincing Pharaoh to let his people go. I had not realized how God hit the Egyptians' economy, not just providing some interesting supernatural phenomenon. God destroyed their crops and livestock as well as removing their drinking water and their food. Then God attacked their very bodies, ending with the deaths of the firstborn males. The future of the Egyptians – from what they would be eating, to how they would be sustaining themselves in the world market, to the future of their families – was all put into jeopardy. And the people of God forgot about all this?

What have you forgotten that God has done for you?

God, help us to have good memory of what you have done for us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

Testing God

Oh, how often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved his heart in that dry wasteland. Again and again they tested God's patience and provoked the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power and how he rescued them from their enemies. Psalm 78: 40-42 NLT

The Israelites tested God again and again in the wilderness. God was grieved again and again. Their memory was short. They soon forgot that God had saved them from being slaves. They forgot that God made sure they arrived at the desert. They forgot that God provided water, bread and meat when there was nothing to be had in the wasteland. They forgot that God extended grace rather than anger even when they had not obeyed or trusted God. They forgot about God's power.

How many times do I test God? How often do I forget all God has done for me? Even if the gift of Jesus Christ was all God had done for me, I still come out a winner. Yet, God has done much more. And still I feel myself pulling away from God. My trust is lacking. I speak about trusting God yet spend my time worrying rather than praying.

God, refresh my memory when I worry. Remind me of your love and faithfulness when I am experiencing doubt and fear. May I stop testing your patience. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

Lip Service

But all they gave him was lip service; they lied to him with their tongues. Their hearts were not loyal to him. They did not keep his covenant. Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins and did not destroy them all. Many times he held back his anger and did not unleash his fury! For he remembered that they were merely mortal, gone like the breath of wind that never returns. Psalm 78: 36-39 NLT

Lip service! How often have I seen this in the churches I have served! You honor me with your lips but your hearts are far from me, says God. The same people who confess Jesus as their Lord and saviour with the Apostles Creed on Sunday morning are the same back-stabbing business people you can't stand in your own workplace.

Yet, God still loves them. And God still loves me, too.

Even when we are disloyal, even when we break the covenant, God still forgives our sins, God still is merciful. God holds back his anger. God remembers that we are human.

IN the communion service, we say that even while we were yet sinners, God gave us Jesus Christ. That proves God's love for us.

It isn't the love when we are good that is true love. It is the love when we are bad that is true.

God, thank you for loving us when we are loyal and when we are sinful. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

Taking God Seriously

When God began killing them, they finally sought him. They repented and took God seriously. Then they remembered that God was their rock, that God Most High was their redeemer. Psalm 78: 34-35 NLT

Then they took God seriously.

When did you first take God seriously? Did something happen in your life to cause your relationship with God to change? Was it a tragedy (at least for you)? What did you do to repent? Did you say a prayer or confess your sins to another person? How did God appear to be a redeemer? How did God save you? Were there specific things that God saved you from?

God wants to be taken seriously. Sometimes it takes a serious happenstance in our own lives for us to finally understand this. God wants to always be our rock and our redeemer. God wants our trust 100% of our lives. God desires, God craves our right relationship with him.

Yet, we spend a great deal of time flirting with God rather than taking God seriously. We play with God rather than hold fast to God. We forget God's saving actions in Christ Jesus. Now is the time to remember and to seek him.

God, we seek you. You are our rock and our redeemer. We love you. We seriously love you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

Despite his wonders

But before they satisfied their craving, while the meat was still in their mouths, the anger of God rose against them, and he killed their strongest men. He struck down the finest of Israel's young men. But in spite of this, the people kept sinning. Despite his wonders they refused to trust him. So he ended their lives in failure,their years in terror. Psalm 78: 30-33 NLT

God tries generosity. The people still sin.

God tries punishment. The people still sin.

God tries wonders and miracles. The people still sin.

God gives up and allows the people to live their lives in failure and terror. God tried. Then God decides to begin again with the next generation.

Do you think God has given up with your generation? Why or why not? Is there hope for future generations? Do you think trust in God will increase in the future? Why? Why not?

God, we can't seem to do anything right. We sin, we crave, we petition, we don't listen, we ignore the helpless, we turn our backs on the plight of those who have little, we receive your blessings and keep on with the same behavior. Have you given up on us? Do you see more hope in future generations? Forgive us, we pray. May we be harbingers of your hope both now and in the future. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

What do you crave?

They ate the food of angels! God gave them all they could hold. He released the east wind in the heavens and guided the south wind by his mighty power. He rained down meat as thick as dust – birds as plentiful as the sand on the seashore! He caused the birds to fall within their camp and all around their tents. The people ate their fill. He gave them what they craved. Psalm 78: 25-29 NLT

What do you crave?

I am writing this devotional during Lent in which I have given up chocolate. I therefore crave chocolate. I crave chocolate anything – mocha lattes, ice cream, chocolate bars, brownies, German chocolate cake, death by chocolate, and chocolate chip cookies. The problem seems to be that I have tried to substitute other deserts for this chocolate but it does not have the same effect. I only crave chocolate.

God responded to what the rebelling people desired by providing so much of it that they were almost sick. He rained down meat as think as dust and as plentiful as the sand on the seashore! I think this was a bit sarcastic on God's part but also quite effective. It was almost as if God says: “So you think I can't provide meant? Well, here's an answer to that! I can not only provide meat but I will provide it until you are sick of it. Your cravings will be so far gone that you will wish you had not thought about meat.”

How will God respond to your cravings? Do you trust that he will give you what you crave?

God, I trust that you will meet my needs and fulfill the desires of my heart. Help my unbelief! In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

God was Furious

When the Lord heard them, he was furious. The fire of his wrath burned against Jacob. Yes, his anger rose against Israel, for they did not believe God or trust him to care for them. But he commanded the skies to open; he opened the doors of heaven. He rained down manna for them to eat; he gave them bread from heaven. Psalm 78: 21-24 NLT

God was angry.

So what did God do?

God provided just what the people didn't think God could give them. Imagine what God would have done if the people had not rebelled but had remained faithful!

Has God ever been angry at you? How would you know? In fact, if God is this generous to us when he is angry, what would God's generosity to be like when God is pleased with us?

What steps can you take this very day to make it up to God? How can you please God more and more in your life?

God, have you been angry with me? Forgive me. Help me to be more in step with you and closer to you each day. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

Limiting God

Yet they kept on sinning against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved. They even spoke against God himself, saying, “God can't give us food in the wilderness. Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out, but he can't give his people bread and meat.” Psalm 78: 17-20 NLT

Isn't this the biggest self-pity party ever: they demanded foods they crave – “God can't give us food in the wilderness. Yes, he can do the water thing but bread and meat, forget it!”

Let's limit God, shall we?

God may be able to lead me to my future spouse but he can't help us to find a place to live. God can answer our prayer for children but can't provide a way to give them a decent education. God can help me when I've lost my job but he can't heal our broken marriage. God can get me through this difficult disease but he can't do anything about my relationship with my children/parents. God can help me make it to retirement but he can't do anything to make sure my relatives don't eat up my savings.

God provided the water. God also provided meat and bread. Yet, the people continue to sin and rebel.

Where are you limiting God in your life?

God, forgive me when I try to limit what you can do in my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

Impossible!

For he divided the sea and led them through, making the water stand up like walls! In the daytime he led them by a cloud, and all night by a pillar of fire. He split open the rocks in the wilderness to give them water, as from a gushing spring. He made streams pour from the rock, making the waters flow down like a river! Psalm 78: 13-16 NLT

Here is an impossible scene: water standing up like walls. And here is another: being led by a cloud in the day and by a pillar of fire by night. Yet another is rocks being split open to produce running water in the middle of a desert.

Think about your life. What impossible or improbable things have happened to you or ones close to you? Can you attribute these to God? Why or why not?

The psalm gives us pictures of the impossible and gives God all the credit. Perhaps with our scientific world view, we don't see the impossible as much anymore. Even coincidences have become good karma or streaks of good luck.

Open yourself to the miracles that God continues to do in your life in in the lives of those around you. Try to see with the eyes of the psalmist.

God, open my eyes to your impossible activities in the world today. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

Do you remember?

The warriors of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned their backs and fled on the day of battle. They did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by his instructions. They forgot what he had done – the great wonders he had shown them, the miracles he did for their ancestors on the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt. Psalm 78: 9-12 NLT

How good is your memory? Do you recall the times when God came to your rescue, answered prayer, gave you peace, blessed your family, guided you through hard times and provided for your needs? Do you find yourself more trusting now than in the past? Or do you feel that your trust level is about the same? One way to tell is to see if your prayers sound like those you have prayed before. If you keep on praying for the same kind of things again and again, it is possible that you have forgotten what God has done.

The psalmist speaks of the warriors who flee in battle, not trusting God for their victory even though they have a whole story of how God saved them by miraculous means. This is because they have not been keeping the commandments or following God's instructions.

Do you see yourself as standing tall or fleeing when the enemy approaches? Keep remembering what God has done for you in the past and trust God with your future.

God, I remember all the things you have done for your people and for me specifically. May I stand tall when the enemy approaches. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

Parenting Helps

For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them – even the children not yet born – and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors – stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God. Psalm 78: 5-8 NLT

Do you teenage or grown have children? Would any of these adjectives describe them: stubborn, rebellious, unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God. Why do you think they are like that? Is it simply the time of life, the culture they are in or perhaps your own failings as a parent?

Psalm 78 seems to suggest poor parenting.

This isn't Dr. Phil's advice, however. This is the advice of the faithful. The followers of God are instructed by God to tell their children the story of their faith. This was so that their children would tell the next generation and so on. If the faithful did not do this, then future children would be like those who came before Abram.

How well have we told the stories of the faith to our children? I am not talking Sunday school or VBS here. We – you and I – are responsible for telling our children. This is not the responsibility of our community of faith. They will only reinforce what our children and grandchildren have learned at home.

Have you told your children the stories of the faith? How about the stories of your own faith? It is never too late.

God, help me to share my faith stories with the next generation so that they can share the stories to future generations. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims

Listen

O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past – stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. Psalm 78: 1-4 NLT

Are you a good listener?

I have been told I listen well. But I also speak well. Those two don't go together, do they? Many times I am speaking when I should be listening. My time with God is no exception.

When you spend time in your devotional or prayer time, how much of it is reading devotionals like this one? How much of that time is spent talking to God? And how much time do you spend listening?

I have to admit, I don't spend as much time as I should. Prayer should be a conversation between us and God. Yet, we are guilty of simply having monologues with God. If you have ever been around someone who talks nonstop and never lets you get a word in edgewise, you get an idea of how God feels. God has things to say to us and we aren't listening.

Yet, the psalmist wants us to listen – to hear what God has done. Spend at least one minute right now in listening to God.

God, help me to listen.                                                                                  Amen.

Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims