Psalm 78 is one of my favorite Psalms. It is one of those good historic Psalms, that recounts the goodness of God, how He has saved the people over and over again, how they had been faithful, turned from their sin, but then turned back to their sin. It tells of mistakes they had made, of God’s frustration with the people, of all that went on in the Exodus, the wandering, everything.
It recounts that whole history, seemingly leaving you frustrated with the people, but then it ends with these words from Psalm 78: 38-39:
38But he was so merciful that he forgave their sins
and did not destroy them; *
many times he held back his anger
and did not permit his wrath to be roused.
39For he remembered that they were but flesh, *
a breath that goes forth and does not return.
God remember that the people (that we) are just flesh. One translation puts it God remembers that we are just dust. We are brief and finite. God is eternal and everlasting.
God knows, God is familiar with our human frailty and weakness. God knows that we are just dust. He knows that we are weak, that we fall, and that we mess up.
Now, listen, this is not to make an excuse for our mistakes. We should avoid them, and when we do mess up, we should repent, ask forgiveness, and allow His grace to make us more faithful. We should always be allowing His grace to be at work in our lives.
But there are times when we are just tied. When we are just weak. When we’ve blown it. When we have messed up. When we think that we cannot keep going. When we believe that we are done.
We’ve gone too far, we’ve fallen too low, it is all over and done with,
Know that our God knows. He knows you are human. He knows you can’t do it. He knows you are wear, heavy laden, and tired. He knows.
He knows that sometimes can’t take that next step. That you feel like giving up. That you just don’t know what to do.
He knows you are just flesh. He knows you are just dust. It’s ok. He knows our weakness. He knows our frailty. He knows it all.
And He still loves us. You are loved. You really are. You are loved. We are weak, He is strong. We are finite, He is eternal.
He is good. And He loves us.
Today, if you are weak, tired, and frail, know that God knows. And He loves you.
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