The ancient Israelites, who should have been the most prepared and grateful people in the world, moved away from God not too many days removed from their slavery in Egypt. They could not trust God. If God didn’t show up immediately when they prayed, they moved on to other ways. Consequently, they struggled, they wandered, they enslaved themselves again to the ways of destruction instead of the ways of deliverance, grace, mercy, guidance, and purpose. Psalm 95:6-11 captures both the good and bad in the Exodus story. In the past they were a people who erred “in their heart.” They refused to know the ways of God. So, God gave them over to their rebellion and that generation did not enter into the promised land.
That was then, what about now? That’s the Psalmists question. He wants nothing to do with the ways of the people in his family tree. It was time to wake up, to recognized the wonder of God in their midst, and to live as people of the Living God. He leads them in worship, “Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker” (vs. 6). Worship, not rebellion was his call to the people. “He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand” (vs. 7). It seems he was calling the people to live out the meaning of their faith. “Today, if you would hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (vs.7-8).
We are called to worship, not to wander. We are called to embrace our calling as people of God’s pasture. We are called to remember who we are. We are called to remember to whom we belong. We are called to remember our true identity, and to embrace the love of God as He works His works in the world. And, right in the middle of his honest song of celebration, the psalmist gives us one big IF. “Today, if you would hear His voice do not harden your hearts” (vs. 7-8).
All through their history Israel had a heart problem, but before we call them out about it, maybe we ought to look into our own hearts. How do we go about living in the love of God? How easily might it be for us to get so caught up in the situations around us that we lose sight of God. Remember these great words from Robert Robinson (1758),
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it;
Seal it for Thy courts above.
In this Lenten season, may we look deep within and pray, “Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above.” The key to living inwardly free in this dangerous world is to open our hearts to God and pray,
Come thou fount of every blessing;
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace.
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