And followed, too.

“Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!” (Psalm 81:13).

As a people-shepherd, I have experienced at times this sort of sad regret. Once in a while I have wished that someone in my family-flock or my school-flock or my church-flock or my mission-flock would have listened to me better. They would have saved themselves some problems or grief.

Then I wonder how often I have provoked in the Good Shepherd a verse 13 response.

In fact, am I doing that now in some aspect of my life?

I don’t want to do that to Him.

So I’ll try again to listen. And to walk in His ways.

“Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved” (Psalm 80:3).

With slight variation, that verse is repeated twice (7,19) in this chapter.

There’s something about those verses that I like. What could it be?

Maybe it’s the thought that God can turn me around again after I have strayed from His ways.

Maybe it’s the idea of God’s face shining — instead of a thundercloud look of displeasure, the gleaming joy of His approval.

Then there’s the reality that when God acts in our favor, our salvation results.

Posted: January 19