Passage Read: Psalm 103-106
Meditation Verses: 106:43-45
Thought
Many times God delivered His people, though they had rebelled against Him and worshiped and served other gods. He delivered them, but not before turning them over to the consequences of their evil choices. Then they discovered how hard it is to live with their evil choices, the grief that comes from losing God's protection and blessing and help, how hard it is to make it in this life when we don't listen to or believe the Lord. Then they would cry out to God for deliverance, they would cast away their idols and return to the right worship and service of God. Then God would be grieved by their distress and have pity on them. Then God would deliver them and they would be faithful for a while, as long as God's deliverer remained in the land. They would recognize their sin, repent of it and turn back to the Lord, receive His mercy and carry on in the right way for a time. God did not deliver them without them first coming to repentance and returning to the right worship of God, to the best of their understanding.
Application
God is no different today. He prefers to show mercy, but we have to come to our senses and recognize why we're suffering His discipline, turn away from that wrong behavior or belief, then we will enjoy His deliverance when we cry out to Him. Am I listening to the Lord and doing as He desires or am I going my own way or listening to the directions of those who don't know Him or don't know Him in truth? The Lord is pleased to show mercy to those who walk in His ways. Am I on the right track and suffering the hostility of a world that hates God? Or am I off-track? Either way, Lord, open my eyes to see and know which way I should turn.