READING: Ezekiel 32:17-33:20, Jeremiah 52:28-30, Psalm 137, 1 Chronicles 4:24-5:17
Rebellion against God ultimately brings judgment and pain. Often that pain is increased when we remember prior days of obedience, of joy, of worship. We find ourselves in the desert, but we can also remember the garden.
And, sometimes even after God restores us, we still carry the memories of exile. In some ways, that’s where the Hebrews had been in Psalm 137. Their captors had taken them to Babylon, and now they requested the Hebrews to sing one of the songs of Zion—quite possibly asking in a mocking, sarcastic way. Singing was tough, though, for God’s people. They knew the way the city of Jerusalem once was, and they realized their rebellion had led to its demise. God had promised to restore them, but for now, they could only picture yesterday’s Zion – and they could not sing. All they could do was weep.
How I pray we will learn from this story, too. None of us wants to face the reality of exile and grief because of our sin. None of us should want to find ourselves in such agony because of our sin that we can no longer sing. May God help us follow Him faithfully today, and may we keep our instruments and voices in tune!
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Can you sing loudly today—or are you struggling?
DAILY PRAYER: “Father, let me sing of Your name today.”
TOMORROW’S READING: 1 Chronicles 5:18-26; 1 Chronicles 6:3, 49, 4-15; 1 Chronicles 7:1-8:28
