Discover His heart: He longs to restore our hearts and our land
Recently I heard a speaker at church share a portion of his life story, and I thought he was telling my story because our early years were similar. I understood so well the feelings he was sharing and the gratitude of God’s faithfulness to him. I sense this same familiarity when I read Psalm 80, not on a personal level but about my nation.
@ Psalm 80
Asaph, or one of his descendants, wrote this song of prayer probably after the fall of his nation, Israel, to Babylon. Israel had worshipped many gods through the years, but Asaph made it abundantly clear that his song was to the true and living God, “Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel…O God, enthroned above the cherubim, display your radiant glory…Show us your mighty power. Come to rescue us!” (1-2) He was calling on the God who was their Shepherd, the God who sat above the cherubim of the Ark, on the mercy seat, and he was crying for mercy.
In his Psalm, Asaph reminded God of how He brought His people out of Egypt and planted them in Israel like a grapevine that rooted and filled the land, but because of their sin, He broke down their walls of protection, and they were devoured by their enemy. “Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Look down from heaven and see our plight. Take care of this grapevine that you yourself have planted” (14-15) was Asaph’s desperate plea for the salvation of God’s people. Would I be so bold to compare my nation’s state of affairs today to God’s chosen people? Well, in a sense, yes I would.
True American history tells me that our forefathers left a land overseas where they felt in bondage to prescribed worship. With Divine providence, they were planted in a new land, dug deep their roots and filled the land. Their nation was based on the principles and guidelines of God’s Word, the Bible, with a commitment that all men could worship, or not worship, as they desired.
Factual history tells me that my early leaders sought God’s direction for everything including the laws that would govern their new land, and they put God’s words in their documents, on their monuments, and throughout their White House. They trusted Him to be their Foundation that would not crumble.
Sadly, through the years we have come to worship many other things and have been weakened by those who would once again like to control who and how we worship, an enemy slowly chipping away at our Foundation. This is the condition the Israelites found themselves in before their enemy captured them and took them away to Babylon. But here is the difference between then and now: I’m not leaving!
I’m not forsaking this land that I believe was ordained by God to be His tool to share eternal freedom through Jesus to the world. I’m offering now, not when it is too late, my song of prayer to God, my Shepherd, Who sits on the mercy seat, “Turn us again to yourself, O God. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.” (3,7,19) Before you do anything, God, turn us again to you, our Foundation, and then shine your grace and mercy on us to save us.
According to God’s Word, He will answer this prayer, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) Who will join me?
Moving Forward: In celebration of our Day of Independence this week, how can I help but pray for our nation to return to its roots, founded on Him. “Revive us so we can call on your name once more.” (18)
Tomorrow @ Proverbs 8-9
Phyllis Benigas 