Oh God, Shine Your Face on Us

Yesterday I looked in my journal and saw I have an extensive entry from my second day in Sibanga. In the midst of trying to get lesson plans finished, a chicken coop built, laundry done, and the numerous other daily tasks to take care of, I did not have time to share yesterday. And while I am more than willing to share what God did in Uganda almost a month ago, (and I know a lot of you are looking forward to seeing more pictures), today I have to share with the you the burden the Lord placed on my heart this morning.

Psalm 80

Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel,
You who lead Joseph like a flock;
You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power
And come to save us!
O God, restore us
And cause your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.

These first three verses prompted me to call upon the Lord, to beg his ear to save our country and our nation.

O LORD God of hosts,
How long will you be angry with the prayer of your people?
You have fed them with the bread of tears,
And you have made them to drink tears in large measure.
You make us an object of contention to our neighbors,
And our enemies laugh among themselves.
O God of hosts, restore us
And cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.

We are not so far removed from the Israelite's position. Our nation is feeding on the bread of tears. We are the object of contention among other nations and are enemies are laughing at us. Lord God, please restore us and shine your face upon us.

You removed a vine from Egypt;
You drove out the nations and planted it.
You cleared the ground before it,
And it took deep root and filled the land.
The mountains were covered with its shadow,
And the cedars of God with its boughs.
It was sending out its branches to the sea
And its shoots to the River.
Why have you broken down its hedges,
So that all who pass that way pick its fruit?
A boar from the forest eats it away
And whatever moves in the field feeds on it.

Roughly 234 years, when America was being discovered and beginning to be settled, people began to move to America for religious freedom. God removed the Israelite's from Egypt and rescued them from other nations. He led them to the land flowing with milk and honey. And yet, the Israelite's turned away from the God who had been blessing them. The pilgrims saw America as their milk and honey land. America began to follow after the American dream instead of the God that brought them to the land. Now, other nations are coming and eating of the fruit that America has produced. They are feeding on our fields.

O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You;
Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine,
Even the shoot which Your right hand has planted,
And on the Son whom You have strengthened for Yourself.
It is burned with fire, it is cut down;
They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand,
Upon the Son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.

My prayer is that God will look down from heaven and see his people. He will see his son, Jesus Christ, whom he sent to save the people that he loves. Despite all of the people who have spit, and ridiculed and mocked his son, may God place his hand upon Jesus who sits at his right hand and uphold his faithfulness to rescue his people. May he give his people grace to return to him.

Then we shall not turn back from You;
Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.
O LORD God of hosts, restore us;
Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.

God may we not refuse your grace. Help us to turn back to you. Revive us and may we call upon your name and give you all the glory for the restoration of our lives and our nation.