From Psalm 80: 1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth 2 before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us! 8 You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. 9 You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. 10 The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches; 11 it sent out its branches to the sea, and its shoots to the River. 12 Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? 13 The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it. 14 Turn again, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, 15 the stock that your right hand planted. 16 They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance. 17 But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself. 18 Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name. 19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
We've been at low places in our lives where we've felt that even our prayers could not be answered. Some have even shared feeling as if they are in a box where prayers could not leave the box. If we have strayed away from God we sometimes assume that God has strayed away from us. This psalm says if God can hear, God will act. Even in our low points. The national posture of Israel was one of unfaithfulness during this writing. They had reached their low point and believed that they were in need of a new relationship with God, and they were right. The writer of the psalm is also the one praying for this restoration and recognizes the aspects of God that are always faithful. God is our shepherd, who can lead us in the way we should go. God is enthroned as King and will respond with a King's might. It then uses the same imagery used in yesterday's Isaiah passage of a vineyard whose walls are broken and has suffered natural and human damage as a result. But the faith is there in the prayer; if God's hand come upon us again, we will be blessed with what we need: Life and relationship with God.
The same holds true for individuals and our needs before God. If we have reached a low point and doubt that we are right with God, we can call to God and know that God will not only hear; He will act! God will provide the restoration and protection our lives need, and yes, we will be saved.
PRAYER: Shepherd God, lead me to faithfulness and righteousness. Restore to my soul that which is Your light that shines upon me and those around me. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
