January 8th, 2017
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Why God, Why?

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Lord, I long to be done with brokenness and know wholeness, to avoid confusion and know enduring concern for You.

Read Psalm 44

[1] For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. [2] With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish. [3] It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. [4] You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. [5] Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. [6] I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; [7] but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. [8] In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. [9] But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies. [10] You made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered us. [11] You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations. [12] You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale. [13] You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us. [14] You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us. [15] I live in disgrace all day long, and my face is covered with shame [16] at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge. [17] All this came upon us, though we had not forgotten you; we had not been false to your covenant. [18] Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path. [19] But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals; you covered us over with deep darkness. [20] If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, [21] would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart? [22] Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. [23] Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. [24] Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression? [25] We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground. [26] Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

“We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts” (A. W. Tozer, 1897–1963).

Think Further

 

There are very few of us who have not suffered at some stage in life from the “it’s not fair” syndrome. This ailment has various forms but what they almost all have in common is making comparisons with what others have been given or experienced or excused—and then complaining that we have been denied the same privileges.
For this psalmist the complaint is that although God is known to have acted on behalf of Israel’s ancestors and to have made many promises about blessings and victories, there is no indication of it happening today. In fact, the reverse is true—at the time of writing all that the psalmist can see is defeat and disgrace. It just isn’t fair! One can hear both the pain and the sense of injustice. “Don’t let anyone tell me it is because of my own sin. I really, really haven’t depended on my own strength instead of yours and I really, really have trusted in and worshipped you. So God, why haven’t you played your part and blessed me too?” The psalm ends with a prayer but not with a resolution. The pain remains.
So what can we learn from this? That telling God what we feel is OK? Yes—and, although we don’t see it in this psalm, sometimes speaking it aloud helps us to hear God’s voice in a different way. That sometimes life isn’t fair? Yes. That God is always there and always ready to listen? Yes. That everything will work out OK in the end? No—although of course the New Testament assures us that in eternal terms this remains true!

There are very few of us who have not suffered at some stage in life from the “it’s not fair” syndrome. This ailment has various forms but what they almost all have in common is making comparisons with what others have been given or experienced or excused—and then complaining that we have been denied the same privileges.

For this psalmist the complaint is that although God is known to have acted on behalf of Israel’s ancestors and to have made many promises about blessings and victories, there is no indication of it happening today. In fact, the reverse is true—at the time of writing all that the psalmist can see is defeat and disgrace. It just isn’t fair! One can hear both the pain and the sense of injustice. “Don’t let anyone tell me it is because of my own sin. I really, really haven’t depended on my own strength instead of yours and I really, really have trusted in and worshipped you. So God, why haven’t you played your part and blessed me too?” The psalm ends with a prayer but not with a resolution. The pain remains.

So what can we learn from this? That telling God what we feel is OK? Yes—and, although we don’t see it in this psalm, sometimes speaking it aloud helps us to hear God’s voice in a different way. That sometimes life isn’t fair? Yes. That God is always there and always ready to listen? Yes. That everything will work out OK in the end? No—although of course the New Testament assures us that in eternal terms this remains true!

 

Apply

Try writing an “it’s not fair” psalm, admitting to jealousy of others’ families, spiritual experiences or material possessions. Then read verse 26 again and remember how much God loves you.

Closing prayer

Gracious Father, there are so many things in life that are not fair. Enable me to see beyond this reality to Your faithfulness which lasts forever.

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