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He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way – Psalm 107:40

In the Book of Daniel, the king of Babylon is an example of a ruler that felt he was invincible. He thought he could do whatever he wanted because Babylonia was the pre-eminent kingdom of the world. Yet, the kingdom was stripped away from him, and he ended up roaming around in the wilderness as a mad man. This tells us that no matter how powerful a leader or ruler becomes, he or she is no equal to God. God can raise up one king and pull down the same king. King Saul of Israel is a great example of this: God choose him for Israel when they asked for a king, but then he cast him down and selected the boy David instead of him. Though Saul continued to rule for many years Davids selection, it was only a matter of time before his lineage would be cut off from the kinghood. When any ruler becomes too prideful and think himself or herself as bigger than God, then God takes action to cast the ruler down. God will not let those who do evil rule forever. Take solace in this if your nation is being ruled by evil men.

God watches the actions of rulers and removes them in the passing of time

Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them – Psalm 107:5

This verse shows what we already know – physical poverty can lead to soul poverty. Yes, when people do not have enough to eat and drink, they get desperate, and they are more likely to do dastardly things. So, when we see people in the ‘hood’ or in a ‘favela’ do dastardly and dangerous things, it is that they are inherently bad but that their situation has led to soul poverty which has caused them to do bad things! Now, this condition is not just limited to those living in poverty. Is it not easier for the enemy of our soul to lie to us and cause us to believe wild things when we are drained? Also, consider that the enemy tempted Jesus when he was hungry and thirsty in the wilderness. Thus, we should HALT when we are Hungry, Angry, Lonely and Tired. Additionally, it is likely our FAULT when we act when Frustrated, Angry, Upset, Lonely, or Tired. No one is immune to making bad decisions and no one gets it right all the time! Thus, rather than judge those who are hungry and thirsty (living in poverty) for bad behavior, we are better served trying to remove the conditions that encourage such behaviors in the first place so we can live more harmoniously together.

I will not dismiss the poor but choose to care for those who are hurting

But they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works – Psalm 106:35

It is good to be curious, but curiosity can be taken too far. There are certain things we are better off not being curious about. Specifically, we shouldn’t be curious about what God tells us to avoid. The bible teaches us about curiosity that kills very early on in the story of the fall of mankind. Adam and Eve were curious about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – a tree that God told them to avoid – and it ended up costing them their home, their marriage intimacy, and their relationship with God. Moreover, it heaped upon them guilt, shame, burdens, and mayhem. For us, things to avoid include but are not limited to drugs and pornography, which open up pandora’s box of troubles. Once the things God tells us to avoid ensnare, it is difficult to get rid of them. I have discipled too many people whose lives have been turned upside down because of unbridled curiosity. What is it that you are flirting with that you know you should avoid? Who is it that you are entertaining that you know will ultimately get you in trouble? It is better to cut it off and cut the person off right now than recount your deep regrets years down the line.

Unbridled curiosity kills but curiosity in line with Gods heart is great gain

Had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them –Psalm 106:23

Poor Moses! He was a God-appointed leader who was doing his very best for the people, but all they did was complain. And yet when they messed up, he was there to bail them out from the wrath of God. He must have wondered to himself at times – Lord why me! Why do I have to suffer these people. Leaders know that leadership can be a thankless job. They are doing the best they can but all they get are complaints. If you are in a position of leadership, you understand. If you are not in a leadership position, consider cutting your leader some slack. They are imperfect but are doing their best. Encourage and support your appointed leader, because the better they do, the better things get for everyone. Is there a person who plays a leadership role in your life that you can think of today that could do with a thank you? Is there a leader in your life that could do with your support?

Today, I will choose to compliment instead of complain.

They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped the molded image – Psalm 106:19

Why would a group of people who had seen the wonders of the invisible God revert to creating a molded image and worshipping it? It is because it was easier to trust what they could see versus what they couldn’t. It is because it was easier to do what every other person was doing (the other nations worshipped idols) than be the odd one out. When we do not have a deep personal relationship with God, then we go back to what is familiar in times of distress. It is what happened with Israel – they thought Moses was dead and so they thought that their pathway to God was gone. They thought it was better to serve a god than wait for a God who only spoke through Moses. Faith and relationship go hand in hand. The stronger our relationship with God, the stronger our faith in Him, and the stronger our fellowship with Him. The weaker our relationship with Him, the higher the likelihood that we revert to our old ways of doing things in our time of distress; the higher the chances that we choose to walk by sight instead of by faith. Are you nurturing your relationship with God or are you reverting back?

I can only grow my faith by taking time to nurture my relationship with God

And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their heart – Psalm 106:15

What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but losses his soul? God granted the wish of the tribe of Israel to eat meat in the wilderness, but they were troubled as they were enjoying it. He allowed them to have kings, but those kings led them into idolatry. Just because we get what we want does not mean what we wanted was God’s best for us. As examples, (1) money without people to enjoy the money with is hollow, and (2) achievement without fulfilment is emptiness. It is a good practice to ask God if what we want is His best for us. It is better to ask God rather than determine what is best for us in our pride. God knows us better than we know ourselves and knows what’s best. Just because God allows something does not mean what he allows is His desire. Consider that God allows the tares to grow with the wheat, but the tares are meant to be burned. Just because God says yes to your request does not mean you are experiencing His best. It is better to have what He wants for you than for you to have what you want and be dissatisfied. 

I will choose to listen to God for He knows what’s best for me

But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tested God in the desert – Psalm 106:14

We test God when we willfully choose to continue wrongdoing. We test God when we choose to stay ignorant. We test God when we choose not to do the things He has asked us to do. Israel tested God; the prophet Jonah tested God; we test God! It did not end well for the tribe of Israel when they did and neither did Jonah benefit from disobeying God. So, why do we persist in testing God? Why do we think we are the exception to the rule? Doing evil in the eyes of God and expecting to live a blessed life is a fool’s game. When we refuse to take care of our body, do we think the effects won’t show up down the line? When we sacrifice sleep for money over the long run, do we not know we are increasing the chances of developing dementia? When we decide to treat our spouses shabbily, are we not increasing the chances of having marital problems? Yes, God is merciful, but we should not make it a sport to test the limits of His mercy. His mercy is there to catch us when we fall from grace, yet we are not meant to make his mercy a bed on which we choose to lay.  

I will test the limits of His grace in obedience rather than the limits of His mercy in disobedience

He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, and they inherited the labor of the nations – Psalm 105:44

God gave the land of the Gentiles to Israel because of their sin (Deuteronomy 9:5). Is someone else inheriting the fruit of your labor? If you are working hard but see no profit; if you are sowing, but others are reaping; if you are working late hours at work but others are getting promoted, then the answer is NOT found in redoubling your efforts. Rather, there is probably a key area in which you have missed the mark. It might be that you haven’t built the right relationships, your work is not visible enough, or you are in the wrong place. If it seems everyone is gaining from your labor except you, pause and take a step back. Speak to God and take wise counsel. See where you may be missing the mark, change your mind about the actions you have been taking, and then start taking God-inspired action.

My success does not solely depend on hard work but wise work

He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes – Psalm 105:37

Are you overworked and under-appreciated at your workplace? This is certainly how the tribe of Israel felt. They were asked to construct cities and till the land, with no compensation except that which was required to strengthen them to continue their work. When they cried out to God, He sent Moses as an instrument of deliverance. And when they left that place, they left handsomely compensated with silver and gold from the people they had served. If you are stuck in a hard place and have little prospect to leave, cry out to God for deliverance. He is more than able to change the situation (e.g., change the heart of your boss) such that you not only escape the situation (perhaps in the form of things getting better) but cause you to be compensated for all your hard work. Alternatively, He is able to create an opportunity that completely changes your future for the better.  Have you cried out to God or are you just crying out to your friends and family?

God is working on my behalf even when I do not see anything changing

Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him – Psalm 105:19

This passage, written about Joseph, speaks to the testing of our faith. Joseph knew that he was meant to be in authority because the Lord had shown it to him in a dream in his youth. Yet, he found himself in prison through no fault of his own and was living a life that was the opposite of being in authority. Though God’s promise may have seemed a million miles away, Joseph did not forget what the Lord told him. It was his faith in God’s promise that led him to continue to behave as a leader despite the fact that he was first a servant in Potipher’s house and then subsequently thrown into prison. As it turned, his trials ended up forging a path for him to become second-in-command to the Pharoah of Egypt. Joseph’s story encourages us not to push aside the promises of God nor get weary of doing good. It shows us that the hardships we go through while waiting are simply character-building blocks that are meant to ensure our success when the word of God is fulfilled. Remember, just because things are going against you now does not mean God has forgotten about His promise to you. Carry a faith-filled attitude and you will see God’s promise come to pass just as Joseph did.

Faith changes my hardships from stumbling blocks into steppingstones.