Today, we’re in Psalm 81, a psalm that starts beautifully with a call for God’s people to come together for worship. Let's read together:

1 Sing aloud to God our strength;
Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob.
2 Raise a song and strike the timbrel,
The pleasant harp with the lute.
3 Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon,
At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.
4 For this is a statute for Israel,
A law of the God of Jacob.
5 This He established in Joseph as a testimony,
When He went throughout the land of Egypt,
Where I heard a language I did not understand.
6 “I removed his shoulder from the burden;
His hands were freed from the baskets.
7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of [b]Meribah. Selah
8 “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you!
O Israel, if you will listen to Me!
9 There shall be no foreign god among you;
Nor shall you worship any foreign god.
10 I am the Lord your God,
Who brought you out of the land of Egypt;
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 “But My people would not heed My voice,
And Israel would have none of Me.
12 So I gave them over to [c]their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels.
13 “Oh, that My people would listen to Me,
That Israel would walk in My ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies,
And turn My hand against their adversaries.
15 The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him,
But their [d]fate would endure forever.
16 He would have fed them also with [e]the finest of wheat;
And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.”

How often has God wanted to give us the very best He has to offer? In fact, He wants to provide us with much more than we can imagine. But we, under-shepherds, are so often like the Israelites were. We do not listen to the Almighty, we do not submit to Him or obey His Word and then a barrier exists and our voices to Him are hindered. When we disobey the Lord, not only do we feel the pain of His humbling, but we also miss out on the blessings He so desires to give us.

It’s so important to remember because as good as it is to sing praises to Him and to pray, if we want Him to listen to us, we must listen to Him.

I pray the Father has spoken to you through Psalm 81, and that if you need new mercies today, you know exactly where to find them.

And may you live deeply into your calling this week.