Bent on Rebellion

August 30

(Psalm 106:32-48 NIV) “By the waters of Meribah they angered the Lord, and trouble came to Moses because of them; {33} for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips. {34} They did not destroy the peoples as the Lord had commanded them, {35} but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. {36} They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. {37} They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. {38} They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. {39} They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves. {40} Therefore the Lord was angry with his people and abhorred his inheritance. {41} He handed them over to the nations, and their foes ruled over them. {42} Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power. {43} Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin. {44} But he took note of their distress when he heard their cry; {45} for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented. {46} He caused them to be pitied by all who held them captive. {47} Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. {48} Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the Lord.”

God delivers us again and again, but we are a people bent on rebellion. When we rebel against the Spirit of God, bad things happen. When we do not rid our lives of that which is ungodly, it should come as no surprise that carnality creeps in and eventually reigns. When we mingle the pagan with the spiritual, we end up with this strange idolatrous concoction that defiles us and desecrates the name of the Lord. We must curb our bent to rebellion or we will end up in bondage and waste away in our sin. We will be held captive and oppressed by the very things that we thought would make us free. Maybe it’s time for a change. Cry out to God. Call on the name of Jesus. He will hear you in your distress. He will have pity on you and save you. He will gather up any rebel who turns back toward Him. Do it while there is still time. Let God deliver you again. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day