Psalm 78:32-37 “For all this they still sinned, and didn’t believe in his wondrous works. Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror. When he killed them, then they enquired after him. They returned and sought God earnestly. They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their redeemer. But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant.”

What a depressing cycle. The Israelites were punished for their sin, but they still didn’t trust and follow. It was only when the punishment became severe that they were willing to repent, but that only lasted for a season. It’s like a kid saying they’re sorry when they’re caught, but they go back to their bad behavior the minute they think they can get away with it again. The key here is the heart. Behavior changes when the heart changes, and we have an advantage that they didn’t have. We have the Holy Spirit to help our hearts change!

Romans 8:9-11 “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”

For additional worship: Breathe On Me Breath Of God (Acoustic Hymn with Lyrics)