·
Don’t be too idealistic about leadership (Psalm
106:7; Zech. 1:4-6). Typically, when we
look to the past, and to our ancestors, we want to idolize them or make them
great heroes. Psalm 104-106 are very
historic, Songs that aid Israel when they look back. They trace Israel’s history from Creation
(104) to the Patriarchs, the Exodus (105) the wilderness wanderings and the
early years in the land (106). There are
many well-known names mentioned, great men of God. But in Ps. 106:7 we read this: Our Fathers
in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; they did not remember the multitude
of Your mercies, but rebelled by the sea – the Red Sea. God revealed both highs and lows of the “fathers;”
we need to be sure we see both. We must color
the picture of our heroes accurately.
·
Don’t be too idealistic about circumstances
(Num. 11:5). One of the things the
Israelites did in the desert was to complain about their lives and to wish they
were back in Egypt where things were much better. For example, We remember the fish which we
ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the
garlic. That is a false picture, one
that is formed by the context of the afflictions in the desert. They may have had food, but they were slaves
in Egypt. They had no freedom. Any time we talk about the “good ole days” we
need to stop and think; almost certainly we have an inaccurate picture.
·
Don’t be overly pessimistic through …
o Failure
to learn the truth from past mistakes (Ps. 78:17,32,40). Psalm 78 is another historical Psalm. It explains why God rejected Shilo (Israel’s
first capital and religious center) in favor of Jerusalem. One thing the Psalmist does is remind them how,
in the past, they never learned from their mistakes. They continued to engage in the same sins,
even after experiencing God’s chastisement.
But they sinned even more against Him (78:17). In spite of this they still sinned
(78:32). How often they provoked Him
in the wilderness, and grieved Him in the desert! (78:40).
o Failure
to see God’s grace in past mistakes (Ps. 78:38-39). Not only does a look back reveal repeated
failures; it reveals repeated grace from God.
But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not
destroy them. Yes many a time He
turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath. We do fail in walking faithfully. But when we remind ourselves of those
situations, we need to think through the previous situations and see how God
was gracious. Thus, in our present
mistakes, we will be encouraged to humble ourselves before the Lord, to confess
our sins, and to trust Him to be faithful and just and to forgive our sins.
o Failure
to see God’s power in past mistakes (Ps. 78:40-42). The nature of Israel’s complaints in the
wilderness wanderings was to gripe about lack of resources (water, food). These verses tell us again and again they
tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. The problem is, that every time they feared
the lack of resources God fulfilled His word to them and provided all they
needed. God was never powerless
to provide for them, a lesson He longed for them to learn. We need to look back, when faced with
challenges today, to previous challenges; and we need to remember how God met
the need. It’s not that we want to
convince Him to do the same thing again; that seldom happened. Rather, it is so we will remember He was
always faithful, always able.
God says “remember from where you have fallen.” Let us ask God to help us to remember truthfully!
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