(Listen to the audio)

Psalm 78:19-20

They spoke against God, saying, “Is God able to provide food in the wilderness?
Look! He struck the rock and water gushed out; torrents overflowed. But can he also provide bread
or furnish meat for his people?”

Years ago when one of our sons was just a child, he was watching television one morning and fell in love with a set of four action figures that was being advertised. Over the next month I had bought three of them, but my son was anxious to complete the set. I told him I would buy the last action figure if he waited until my payday, which was in two days.

Well apparently that wasn’t a good enough response. He came back later that day and asked the same thing. I reminded him again that we would go in two days.

As he went back to his room, I could hear him grumbling under his breath, “That’s not fair. I don’t ever get what I want!” The comment surprised me, and got me a little irritated because I had already bought him three of the four action figures, no questions asked.

Well, the next day he asked me three times about going to buy the action figure. Each time he asked me I became more and more irritated. After the third time I told my wife that I thought about not buying the toy at all — he had forgotten what I had done for him in the past and acted like he didn’t trust me. Well, she interceded on his behalf and reminded me that I had given my word.

So the next day came, and like I promised, I bought the fourth action figure. But because he didn’t trust me and had forgotten what I had already done for him, I decided I was not going to immediately buy the accessory kit that went with the action figures.

Psalm 78 provides insight into the events leading up to the children of Israel being made to wander in the desert for 40 years. The nation had personally experienced the greatest miracles of God that would be remembered for centuries — yet they “dismissed” them whenever they came across a new challenge. They worshipped a golden calf, complained about thirst, food, and even conspired to stone Moses and go back to Egypt. And at the border of the Promised Land, they showed no confidence in the Lord — they chose to believe the testimony of ten fearful men rather than Caleb, Joshua, Moses and their recent experience with the Living God. They, like my young son, brought the “trust” of their “Father” into question.

Have you forgotten the great things God has done for you over time? Do you dismiss His goodness towards you as unimportant, insignificant or irrelevant? Do you view every new challenge as bigger than your God? Is your trust in God situational?

From the Amplified Bible, Psalm 78:21-22 tells us:

Therefore, when the Lord heard, He was full of wrath; A fire was kindled against Jacob,
And His anger mounted up against Israel, Because they did not believe in God [they did not rely on Him, they did not adhere to Him], And they did not trust in His salvation (His power to save).

If you want to get God mad, refuse to live in a covenant relationship with him, refuse to obey His laws, and forget what He has done for you (Psalm 78:10-11).

Don’t revert to a “go-back-to-Egypt” mindset. Trust in Him more than your feelings. Choose to live like you know, and have confidence, that His faithful (covenant) love for you endures forever (Psalm 118:1).