Overcoming a roller coaster Faith

Psalm 78.

This song recounts the historical roller coaster of Israel's spiritual journey.  They were up and down.  Casting their dependence upon God and then rejecting Him.  The call from Asaph was to stop this cycle by teaching the next generation the wonderful works of God.  This helped the teacher as much as the learner.

But this goes far beyond a set curriculum of knowledge.  The difference would only come by exercising a consistent faith in action; affecting the immediate next generation and "the children yet unborn" (v.6).

Why was Asaph so insistent?  Because as he reviewed history, he labeled the leaders of the past as "stubborn and rebellious" and unfaithful to God.  Then, he provided specific examples of this rebellion and how God responded.  Even in their times of rejection and unbelief, God graciously supplied their daily needs.  Yet, they provoked God repeatedly by their disobedience.  That prompted the LORD to intervene with discipline, sometimes with awful tragedies, to get their attention.

When the nation realized they had sinned, they repented and "remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer" (v.35).  But it proved to be mere lip service and not genuine.  Their lives did not change.

Through it all, God did not change His mind or His plans.  In His sovereignty, He chose the tribe of Judah to lead the nation.  He chose David to shepherd His people with integrity and skill.  They were back on track.

All of us can identify to one extent or another of the roller coaster experience of our faith.  God is good.  He is gracious in supplying our daily needs.   He is worthy of our trust and a consistently disciplined life.  The generations behind should be able to see it in us and hear our firsthand God stories.