Why Run from God?
Today we have two servants of God, David and Daniel, crying out for their people. In David's case, in Psalm 4, the people have started to turn from God's way and the consequences are starting to happen. David is pleading with God to answer him and have mercy on the people. And then he is pleading with the people to turn away from delusions and false gods. The people are wondering where God is and what happened to their prosperity, but not acknowledging their turning away from God.
In Daniel's case, the people of Israel are in exile after the Babylonian invasion of 586 B.C. He recognizes as well that God is carrying out judgment against the people, as he had promised in the book of Deuteronomy. When God made the covenant with people, it brought blessings if they obeyed God and curses if they disobeyed God and ran after other gods. Daniel acknowledges, according to Jeremiah's prophecy, that this exile would last 70 years before God restored his people. Nonetheless Daniel prays for God's mercy after being completely honest about the people's refusal to repent from their sin. Finally, at the end of the chapter he asks for God's mercy because it is His people who bear His name.
So the question is as we look at the history of God's people, how do we turn away from God? What are the things in our lives that can become god-like, because they become more important than God? It can be subtle. Even busyness, or work-aholism can show who is our God. The key thing is that when we stray from God, he is always there to welcome us back (i.e. the prodigal son) and his love for us never changes. But we miss out on the abundant life he has for us, because all of these false gods will let us down at one time or another. And our lives will not be as fruitful as they could have been if we had remained in the Vine, Jesus.
The good thing is it is never too late to repent and turn from things we know are wrong! God welcomes us back and restores our soul. Take a minute if the Holy Spirit is convicting you of something in your life that needs to change. If you are so bold, tell someone and ask them to pray for you and keep you accountable for that aspect of your life. I think you will see that it will be worth it far beyond what you could ask or imagine.
Psalm 4
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
1 Answer me when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods
3 Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
4 Tremble and do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
5 Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
and trust in the Lord.
6 Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.
7 Fill my heart with joy
when their grain and new wine abound.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
Daniel’s Prayer
9 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes[a] (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian[b] kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:
“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.
7 “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
In Daniel's case, the people of Israel are in exile after the Babylonian invasion of 586 B.C. He recognizes as well that God is carrying out judgment against the people, as he had promised in the book of Deuteronomy. When God made the covenant with people, it brought blessings if they obeyed God and curses if they disobeyed God and ran after other gods. Daniel acknowledges, according to Jeremiah's prophecy, that this exile would last 70 years before God restored his people. Nonetheless Daniel prays for God's mercy after being completely honest about the people's refusal to repent from their sin. Finally, at the end of the chapter he asks for God's mercy because it is His people who bear His name.
So the question is as we look at the history of God's people, how do we turn away from God? What are the things in our lives that can become god-like, because they become more important than God? It can be subtle. Even busyness, or work-aholism can show who is our God. The key thing is that when we stray from God, he is always there to welcome us back (i.e. the prodigal son) and his love for us never changes. But we miss out on the abundant life he has for us, because all of these false gods will let us down at one time or another. And our lives will not be as fruitful as they could have been if we had remained in the Vine, Jesus.
The good thing is it is never too late to repent and turn from things we know are wrong! God welcomes us back and restores our soul. Take a minute if the Holy Spirit is convicting you of something in your life that needs to change. If you are so bold, tell someone and ask them to pray for you and keep you accountable for that aspect of your life. I think you will see that it will be worth it far beyond what you could ask or imagine.
Psalm 4
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
1 Answer me when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods
3 Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
4 Tremble and do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
5 Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
and trust in the Lord.
6 Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.
7 Fill my heart with joy
when their grain and new wine abound.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
Daniel’s Prayer
9 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes[a] (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian[b] kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:
“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.
7 “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
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