Prayer: Father, may I grieve the things which grieve You. May I get my priorities from Your Word and value what You value. In Yeshua’s name. Amen.
Reading: Psalm 137 key: vs. 1
1 By the rivers of Babylon,
we sat down and wept,
when we remembered Zion.
Attention: Have you ever collapsed into tears over the loss of a home? Our friends in the Midwest suffer devastation from tornados. Our friends on the east coast experience annual hurricanes and the west coast, earthquakes and wildfires.
The psalmist is mourning the invasion of a city and his place of worship. And, not just any city, but a holy city and the center of Judaism, the Temple of Adonai. We can only identify if we were to experience invasion and exile too. The Babylonians had invaded Adonai’s covenant people and their religious edifice.
If you are not familiar with the building of the temple at Jerusalem, it was the envisioned by King David and constructed by his son, Solomon when he became king. Adonai allowed David to design the temple and acquire the construction materials, but He did not allow him to build it. That task was given to Solomon. It took 40 years to construct the Temple and at its completion the city of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel celebrated. It is quite a story recorded in 1 Kings 6-9.
When all the celebration is over, the very night all celebration ended, Adonai visits Solomon in a dream and reveals to him His conditions for consecrating the House which he had built. Here is what Adonai told him,
“If you or your sons will indeed turn away from following Me—not keeping My mitzvot and My statutes that I set before you—and go and serve other gods and worship them, then will I cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and this House which I have consecrated for My Name, I will cast out of My sight. So Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples (1 Kings 9:7).”
They did not keep their promise to serve Adonai only and Adonai kept His promise, to bring judgement upon the house, the city, and the nation. Is all calamity we experience, Adonai’s judgement? No. In this example, the consequences were a result of the actions of the kings of Judah.
Adonai brings calamity for correction to a nation, to an individual. They did not repent. The temple was restored, but never attained the glory it once had. It would seem from the 137th Psalm, that they grieved the loss of the temple and city, rather than the loss of relationship with Adonai. The psalmist is praying for retribution which resulted from the folly of a Babylonian king.
If you lost your city, your home from invasion or seizure, what would your response be? That time may be closer than we think. Here is a biblical response to house and home:
“For you suffered along with the prisoners and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better and lasting possession. Therefore, do not lose your boldness, which has great reward. For you need perseverance so that, after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise (Hebrews 10:34-36).”
And,
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15).”
How close do we hold the things of the world? We cannot hold the world near to our hearts and keep our hearts close to Adonai. Which is it going to be?
Action: I will value my relationship with Adonai first, above all things on this earth.
Yield: I surrender the things in my life.
Engage: I will value Adonai above all things.
Relationship: I will give Adonai first place in everything.
Prayer: Father, You must be first in my love and affection. Amen.
Memory verse: Matthew 6:33-34
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Music Video: Above All [with lyrics] – Lenny LeBlanc
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”