Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

It is often said that the Psalms can be put into two categories – praise and lament. Psalms 81 begins with praise, but the more you read, the more you can see that the tone shifts to lament in this chapter and chapter 82. We read that God is lamenting because of the Israelites’ rebellion and worship of other gods.  

I can’t help but think how many times the Lord lamented because I gave my worship to things or people that weren’t Him. In fact, I know that I have grieved the heart of God more than once because of my disobedience and followship of other gods. You and I will always be fighting against the desire to return to our own version of Egypt. The sad truth is that we are not much different from the Israelites. We are so easily distracted, and our hearts are so easily won by the things of this world. The risk that we run is that in our disobedience, whether intentional or not, He will “give us over to our stubborn hearts”.   

My prayer for us today is that we would meditate on the goodness and power of God and turn our hearts towards Him. Take an inventory of your life and what you are giving your attention to. Are you prioritizing work, entertainment, or even yourself more than God? Spend some time with the Lord in prayer and put Him back on the throne of your life this morning! 

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.

• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.