Feeling of Abandonment
Notes
Transcript
I would like to start this morning with a question, when we pick up a newspaper, watch the news, listen to the radio, what feeling do we get?
Do we feel optimistic? Hopeful? At ease?
Or do we feel despair? Pessimism? Uncertainty?
Christian social critic Richard John Neuhaus was being driven from the Pittsburgh airport to a speaking engagement. During the drive, one of his hosts persisted in decrying the disintegration of the American social fabric and the disappearance of Christian values from our culture. Cases in point were too numerous to mention, but Pastor Neuhaus’s host tried anyway. After the tedious drive, Neuhaus offered these words of advice: “The times may be bad, but they are the only times we are given. Remember, hope is still a Christian virtue, and despair is a mortal sin.”
One of the most mis-understood gifts God gives to us is desperation. Why would God allow one of His children to feel complete loss or the absence of hope? Shouldn’t God give us an opportunity to feel His love, peace, and even prosperity? Doesn’t scripture tell us to ask anything of Him and we will receive? So why is it so many Christians struggle?
23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
I think part of it comes from a misunderstanding of the full counsel of scripture.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Clearly we should see God does not spare us from conflict, concern, heartache, hurt… But, God will see us through those tough times. He gives us HOPE.
The New Bible Dictionary says hope, it would seem, is a psychological necessity, if man is to form a mental picture of the future at all. Even if there are no rational grounds for it, man still continues to hope.
So, in these days we find ourselves in - when there seems to be little hope, let’s look to the source of hope.
The nation of Israel finds themselves in a tough situation, what history points to as a time when they have been invaded and humiliatingly defeated by the Babylonians, and they are looking to God for answers. Wanting to know why it seems like He has abandoned them and left them in a state of despair. They are looking for an answer as to why it seems God has left them.
In reading through Psalms, starting in Chapter 74, Asaph has written of the plight the Israelites find themselves in. Over the course of the next few chapters, he outlines the cry of the Israelites, the remembrance of what God has done for them, and finally God’s response to the Israelites.
Cry of God’s People
Cry of God’s People
1 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.
The Babylonians have invaded, the Temple has been destroyed, the people are in despair, and they feel that the Lord has abandoned them.
Notice the tone - why do you cast us off forever. There was a total feeling of abandonment. I can imagine the people who were crying out to God, moaning and groaning, wringing their hands, and then going back to doing whatever they wanted to do. We have to take a look at why the Israelites were in this mess to begin with. Again, the people of God had turned their backs on God. They were doing their own things, and had been warned by God, but instead of listening and turning back to Him, they continued in their disobedience and sin. Therefore, God had no choice but to correct them in an effort to get them to return back to Him.
Asaph remembers this in Psalms 76:7-9
7 But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?
8 From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still,
9 when God arose to establish judgment, to save all the humble of the earth. Selah
Now, when they find themselves in a place of correction, they are crying out for relief. He asks that God would remember your congregation - remember those whom were His own. Asaph reminds God (and himself) that the nation of Israel had been purchased and redeemed.
Church, when we find ourselves in the same issues - wondering if God is still there, still listening to us, worried that He may have left us or at least is silent, we too must look back at what God has done in our past. He does not guarantee we will have smooth sailing, and especially when we turn away from Him. In actuality, He may be trying to get our attention after a period of time where we have ignored Him and He is trying to get us to listen to Him again. You see, we must remember what He has done for us in the past, to bring us the remembrance of hope now.
Remembrance
Remembrance
1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
Asaph remembers where His comfort and peace comes from, and knows the comfort and peace of His nation comes from the same. He recognizes the state of sin and despair grabs him. It was a dark time in his life, looking at all around him, and not seeing God’s hand.
To me this would have to be a hard thing to endure - not being able to see the hand of God in a time of desperation. But, when we look at the state of our nation now, I ask you a question - how easy is it to see God’s hand directing our nation? But, more importantly, how many people - even believers - do we see recognizing the state of despair our nation is in and crying out to God for deliverance.
Upon recognizing this Asaph turns to God for comfort and peace by remembering what God has done for them in the past.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?
One of the best ways for us to have hope to the future is to look to the past. Meditating on God’s blessings from the past is how Asaph chose to have peace in the present. He recognized that it was only by following God that the Israelites condition could and would change. But, not everyone had the same understanding.
17 Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.
Even with their nation going to pieces around them, the people did not turn from their wickedness. In reading through chapter 78, all God had done for them was laid out. It was remembered when God allowed the enemies of Israel to be defeated, and how He had protected and preserved them.
He allowed them to be released from Egyptian bondage, divided the Red sea, led them with a cloud, gave them water to drink, all the past things God has done for them. Yet, it also acknowledged that the Israelites did not keep God’s covenants, and refused to walk according to His law. They forgot all He had done for them and continued to sin more against God and rebelled against Him. Asaph remembered that the Israelites cried, moaned, groaned, and demanded God provide them with the food they wanted… They couldn’t see nor did they recognize the blessings from God because they were still looking back at the comfort of their bondage.
My how that seems like us doesn’t it - we ask and ask and ask of God, all the while overlooking all He does for us, and then we fall to pieces when He puts us in our place. In all honesty, all God asks of us is to follow Him obediently and fully. You see, He sees us through tough spots in life and delivers us from bondage - even when we don’t recognize it. But if we continue in our sins, continue in our disobedience, then He has no choice but to respond.
God’s Response
God’s Response
21 Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob; his anger rose against Israel,
22 because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.
The continued sin and rebellion caused God’s anger to continue and grow against the Israelites. Punishment was sent in the form of a plague. But it still was not enough to convince the people to turn back to Him. They chose to continue in their sin, rather than remember the goodness of God and turn back to Him.
32 In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe.
Asaph reminds the readers of God’s repeated attempts of correction - trying to get the rebelling Israelites to turn back to Him. But the people wanted the things they had instead of the things God wanted for them.
Even though God provided their every need, they still refused to put their trust in Him and continued to sin. What was the result?
In this example, those who rebelled against God were not allowed to enter into the promised land. They walked around in the wilderness and literally wasted a life wandering instead of enjoying the life God had for them.
But, Asaph then pleads for mercy, recognizing continued sin was leading to continued punishment.
Pleading for Mercy
Pleading for Mercy
5 How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name!
7 For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.
8 Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
Desperate for relief, Asaph cried out to God, asking Him how long He would remain angry at His people. God’s judgment and discipline on the unfaithful Israelites seemed to be lasting forever. He did not deny that the people had sinned against God. But it seemed that their sin was not nearly as grievous as the sin of their pagan enemies who did not even acknowledge God. It also seemed that the current generation was being judged for their ancestors’ sin. For these reasons, the psalmist appealed to God’s justice and mercy, asking Him to restore those who trusted in Him.
3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
4 O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Asaph understood an important spiritual truth: before God could shine His favor on Israel, they had to repent. Accordingly, he first asked God to turn us again, to revive His people so they would return to Him. More than anything else, Israel needed to be restored spiritually. When they returned to God, God would accept them and save them from their enemies.
God’s Desire
God’s Desire
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.
God had a compelling message for His people: He urged them to obey and follow His Word. As He looked back on Israel’s history, the LORD grieved because they stubbornly refused to live for Him. If they had only listened and walked in His ways, the LORD would have showered His abundant blessings on them. Instead they had to bear His painful judgment.
Closing
Closing
God knew that Israel would falter, none of this came as a surprise, but as with us today God expects us to turn back to Him and listen to His will for our lives. Just like the psalmist, we, too, should cry out to God on behalf of our shattered nation.
God never intended for us to remain in a sinful state, individually or as a nation and He seeks to restore us today, the same way He sought to restore the nation of Israel.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.