know Him

The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle.
- Psalm 78:9

RUE THE DAY
Monday mornings are not fun. I just need to start that off. They truly are the days where I have to do some serious fighting to clear out the cobwebs. Yesterday was no different. Most of yesterday was spent with what I call a Monday morning headache...a dull thing that is just there...all day. They are probably due to an adrenaline hangover from Sunday's Worship. My Sundays are wonderful. They are full of oppurtunities to rest and praise and worship and fellowship and preach and...they are times I just treasure. But, Mondays oh Mondays. I always know Monday is coming, I get up that morning in full awareness of the day I am about to embark upon, but somehow my day is a trudging through. I'm glad its over.

Inevitably, though at some time during the day, maybe I'm working on my sermon coming up, or I'm planning the worship service, and I remember why I am here. My goal comes before me. Suddenly, my focus is back. I am reminded that my God is with me. I'm reminded of the victories He has won for me. I'm back where I need to be.

Monday is a battleground for me. And the battle is easily won and easily lost. I win when I remember God. Plain and simple. I lose when I worry over my schedule and mindlessly complete my service and wonder what is wrong with me and waste my time and basically, forget God and disregard His commandments.

THE EPHRAIMITES
How do the Ephraimites come into play here? Look at that verse again. It is a pretty sad commentary. "The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle." The Ephraimites were in battle, ready to fight, armed, well-prepared and educated, and they faltered. They turned back. Later on in the passage it says that they, “…refused to walk according to [God’s] law. They forgot his works, and the wonders that he had shown them.” (Psalm 78:11) The Ephraimites had a legacy spiritually, it wasn't that they were absolute heathens. They were of the tribe of the second son of Jospeh. They had been provided for with houses and wells and land. They had been taught; they were prepared. They forgot.

YOU AND ME
Before we are too hard on the Ephraimites, lets look at our life. What is your battleground experience like? How often is that our problem? We fall, because we forget. We don’t know our God well enough to trust Him. We don’t see who He is.

Asaph lays out the solution to the problem of forgetting God. He lays it out in Psalm 78:3-7. We have to know our God, we have to hope in Him, and we have to remember Him.

1. KNOW HIM.
…tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. - Psalm 78:4

How well do you know your God. How long could you just simply talk about Him? Could you fill up a page with His attributes? Can you accurately praise Him based on the truthes of His word? What do you know of His names? Do you see the works that He does for you as more opportunities to trust Him and learn about Him? You cannot truly trust God if you have no knowledge of Him. Read your Bible to see God.

2. HOPE IN HIM
that they should set their hope in God. - Psalm 78:7

Knowledge leads to hoping in Him. As you see who He is, you can put your hope, your confidence, literally your loins…the strength of your life, in Him. Take what you know of God and bank your life on it! Let it change who you are on the inside. Let the knowledge of God be your first and best thought.

3. REMEMBER HIM
that they should…not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. - Psalm 78:7

This truly follows the knowledge of God and the hope in God. You do what He says and you don’t forget Him. This allows you to live in joy under the laws of God. His commandments are not grievous, because you know Who He is!

DO SOMETHING
I don’t know about you, but I could definitely use some serious time focusing on Who my God is. I am applying myself to seeking to see my God in His word, but I don’t know if that is my main problem. My problem really isn’t knowledge, per se. I mean really, I’ve heard a lot of preaching, I’ve been blessed with a great pastor and a loving Dad who taught me tons. My main problem isn’t knowledge…although I do need to seek God more. My problem is definitely following through. Hoping and remembering. When its time to take the knowledge that I have that God will always be with me and put that into action in evangelism. When temptation comes and I know I can stand on the power of the word, I forget…I turn back in the day of battle. When I need to sacrifice and give, knowing that God is the great provider, I don’t. When its time to live for Him, I fail.

God help us all to know Him, hope in Him, and remember Him.

Posted by jonkopp at August 23, 2005 10:37 AM | TrackBack