I am Israel

It's so easy to read the adventures of the Bible and think that those people were so lame or silly or "I would never...". But they were human and so are we. Because of that, we are bound at some stage of our lives, in one way or another, to make the same mistakes as other human beings, including good old Israel. So much so, that the chapter title of 1 Corinthians 10 is "Warnings From Israel’s History" and verse 6 says "Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did."
In light of that, I think it's good to take my judgemental lenses off and instead turn that spotlight and microscope inward, put myself in their shoes and learn from their mistakes as I try to not make them myself.

A psalm that goes through multiple mistakes of the Israelites is Psalm 78. As I read through, I found that, in some way, shape or form, each and every failure and short-coming could be applied to me. I am just like Israel.

Here are a few of the highlights (well perhaps we should call them lowlights) from the Psalm:

v8 “A stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.”

v10-11 “They did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by his law. They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them.”

v22 “They did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance.”

v32 “In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.”

v34-37 “Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant.”

Sadly, these verses have shown to be true too many times in my own life. I have been and often am stubborn and rebellious and forgetful of God's hand and goodness. Despite God endlessly proving himself to be sovereign, powerful, all-knowing, so good, and more than enough, I have forgotten and tried to go at it alone. In spite of his works and redemption and hand in my life, I have still sinned.

But thanks be to God, who is gracious, merciful, compassionate, kind and slow to anger (Exodus 34:6). Thankfully, the psalm doesn't just stop there. It says in verse 38: "Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath."

Like with Israel, time and time again, God has rescued me, forgiven me, and chased me down to bring me back home.

When I look at this psalm I thank God, remembering all that He has done for me. I am not perfect and never will be even close, but I am learning more and more each day that even though I am just like Israel, God is still God and that will always be enough for my failures.

I am Israel. It means that I am broken. I have messed up in so many ways, but God is always there to receive me again. Even after all I have done, after all the places I have been, after what I have said, what I have thought, and the things I should have done but didn’t.

Like the father embracing the prodigal son, he takes me into his loving arms (Luke 15:20) and through what Jesus did on the cross, God looks at me and tells me that He loves me, is pleased with me, and that I am his (Matt 3:17). Like Boaz, when I am hopeless and alone, he provides for and redeems me (Ruth 4:4). Like Hosea, He chases after me when I leave and brings me back into his home and reminds me of who I am in him (Hosea 3:1).