Judges 10:7 - "They just walked off and left God, quit worshiping him. And God exploded in hot anger at Israel." I never realized that what I was doing for so many years was forgetting God, walking off in my mind. I mean, I thought I had Him center stage. It looked that way. But my heart was set on protecting myself from so much pain. There's something I wanted more than His Love. I wanted to be released from my pain. I distanced myself in my heart from God and from people. I think I've embraced more pain in the past four years than most of my adult life. It's not about the pain. It's all about Him and knowing Him more. Walking off from God. No more worship. Isn't that really Luke 24:25 being "slow of heart to believe the prophets." Do we really believe what these Old Testament prophets are telling us that holds true for this day, this moment, this place in our lives? If I'm slow of heart, God is inviting me to repent. And all that I don't understand about this chapter of this book, this chapter of my life, God will open my mind someday to understand. So, in the midst of some confusion, loneliness, suffering, joy, peace and blessings we put our hands to the plow and trust---whatever that means. And my prayer for you is Luke 24:45, please God, "open our minds to understand the Scriptures." Thank you so much!
Judges 10:1-5 and Judges 12:8-15 briefly mention 5 leaders that led Israel and died. That's 70 years, and only a sentence or two is recorded about them. Were their lives not worth noting?
ReplyDeleteThis made me think about when my life is over, will people remember more than what type of car I drive and the house I live in? Or will my life make an impact on the Kingdom of the God.
So, we must believe, as Bev asked, the Old Testament prophets to hold true for this day, this moment, this place in our lives, and allow the Lord to use us for His will today. And not focus on what is to come, but live in the present and live for Him today.
Happy Monday Ladies. Have a blessed day.
-Kim
Good Monday morning. I'm so glad to be back here and catch up with your hearts' focus these last few days.
ReplyDeleteBev, I'm praying for Blair for healing and for both of you, peace. One battle after another for you, and yet you always encourage us to stay tethered to His love, at His Feet before the altar of His sacrifice, the cross. One more week of wilderness walking, and then the emotional, love-filled Holy Week to remember, to repent, to return.
There are so many things I don't understand in these chapters. I never thought until Bev said it that this too, is a lesson from the Bible. Like seasons in our lives, we may not understand this side of heaven, but we can know He is our good God,worthy of our worship, our full attention. May not be safe, but always true to His nature, holy and fully good.
This is such a sweet place in my morning. Thank you all for sharing your beautiful hearts. You help me stay on track, or get back on track, wherever I am each day! Love to each of you, A
How blessed I am to be able to run here and feed on what you all have gleaned from the Word as you read it thru in the Message. I had already committed to another reading, but I am reading the Word thru. You all do keep me on track or put me back, just as Annette said. I have been thinking about my legacy(and I am older than most of you,therefore have a shorter time to work for Him) and I don't want to be remembered for anything but that He was at the center of everything about me, no matter how I failed Him. I keep praying about my legacy and want it to glorify and honor Him. May it be that way for all you follow this blog. Bev, you have kept the good faith...you are a light for Him shining on a hill.
ReplyDeleteVery confusing reading, I agree. So much I don't understand in this book. I can't even make sense of a lot of it. I keep thinking, "THESE are the people God uses??!?" Wow.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 12, the fight between Jephthah and the Ephraimites reminded me of how Christians turn on each other. Sin, pride, and the flesh mess up relationships and cause us to see our brothers and sisters as our enemies. So much destruction in the Church and ultimately it's a terrible witness to the watching world. It's no wonder Christ isn't a compelling figure to many unbelievers; they base their opinion of Him on us. What a shame.
Our God is an awesome and powerful God. I'm humbled that He can and will accomplish His plans through such messed up people, including me.
I pray for the Church, especially in the U.S., that we would love our God and each other well, so that others will know that our God lives.
Several things today:
ReplyDelete1. Chapter 11 verses 1-3 caught my attention. This was another example of a dysfunctional family. Unloved, "the son of a whore", and told he would get no inheritance. What influence did that have on him? Words hurt. Will I let them define me? NO! (But they STILL hurt.) I'm so glad God put all the examples of dysfunctional families in the Bible. I come from one.
2. Judges 11:4-6...Singing a different tune! The Ammonites were attacking and they didn't care if he was the "son of a whore". So they struck a bargain. It just seemed so cold...using each other.
3. Judges 11:12-27...I got lost. I think Jephthah was trying to explain why the land belonged to Israel now, not the Ammonites. Bottom line: God gave it to them!
4. Judges 11:30...Jephthah's rash vow. I know he shouldn't have made it. Should he have kept it? I don't think so. I agree with you all...this is confusing! (Ecclesiastes 5:2a comes to mind..."Do not be rash with your mouth and let not you heart utter anything hastily before God.")
5. Ephraim is at it again..."Why didn't you call on us?" They had the same attitude in 8:1-3. They just seemed to be easily offended, slighted. Was it pride or a sense of entitlement? I just don't want to be that person anymore.
6. Finally, Jephthah and Gideon...
I noticed how different their response was to the Ephraimites. Gideon, in Judges 8:2-3, followed the wisdom of Proverbs 15:1, "A soft answer turns away wrath..." while Jephthah used harsh words.
Gideon diffused the situation while Jephthah's response brought conflict. AND THIS IS WHERE I CAMPED! I am so quick to speak. Do I minister grace? It's not so much that I use harsh words. What is my tone? What is my intent? And so, I'm back to guarding my heart because that's where my words originate.
One more thing...Bev wrote,"Put your hand to the plow...whatever that means" Not sure either, but this morning I had one hand on the plow and the other one wiping away tears.
Have a blessed week!
FG
Oh man, but that VOW.
ReplyDeleteWhat an idiot.
I'm sick of this. I had to read the commentary to try and make sense of these judges. The peace of the first two judges, Tola and Jair, are so very boring, but I would have rather have lived under their time of judging Israel.
Two peaceable periods and then Israel turns their back on God.
I just can't get over that VOW. What or whom did he think was going to come and greet him first thing?
And he sacrificed her. She was killed because of that man's stupidity.
I'm sorry but this makes my blood boil. It kindled God's wrath, too.
I'm glad to hear that you all don't understand either. Times like these make me want to quit reading altogether. I wish we could start with the New Testament and read backwards.
ReplyDeleteOh well, I'm not quitting. When I don't comment it's because I don't get it. I'm still glad to be trying to figure it all out with you amazing women.
Love,
Angie xoxo
Oh, don't quit! Samson is coming up and so is the book of Ruth. I love that book. It will be so interesting to read it from The Message Bible.
ReplyDeleteThe Old Testament is hard. I've read Dispensational Truths and the fact that one dispensation was "they did what was right in their own eyes" pretty much says it all.
Nothing compares to the dispensation of grace. Let that sink in. It is the most excellent way.
Bev, you blessed my heart with the comment you left on the last post. I try so hard to really feel what's going on in these chapters...from a mother's heart and from the Creator's heart.
Don't you know if we get weary of mankind...He really MUST get weary of us.
I'm sorry for all my selfishness and my feelings of entitlement. That one hit me right between the eyes. I'm so glad he put that into words...entitlement. It leads to so much insecurity.
Each one of you bless my heart. These men are just a big, huge ? to me. Boaz, well, he is a kind man. David, well, I love his passion for God. Samuel, love him, too. We've got to hang on and get through this constant war zone.
Thank you, Twinkle (Deborah)!
ReplyDeleteHave a great sleep!
Love,
Angie xoxo
I really love your comments because you all wrestle well. Struggle well my friends. Life is full of hard things. Don't shut down because of them and say "it's all good." We are hitting another hard thing with my daughter's health but actually isn't it a time of deeper dependence on Him if I struggle well? My default when I hit traumas is on bottom of page XXV - "awful things are tragedies to reverse, endure, and at all costs prevent." No, it's me---I'm slow of heart to believe these prophets speaking and to find His Power, Col 1:29 that is so powerfully at work in me. Just love you all to pieces!
ReplyDeleteGod knew I needed the fellowship and comments all of you leave. These past few days I have had to come to grips that I have been pushing the envelope with my Heavenly Father God and my health and didn't even know it. When will I ever learn... your comments encourage me greatly and most of all my desire between my ears and in my heart to know God and to be able to clearly hear his voice then be obedient.
ReplyDeleteReading Judges is hard probably because there are times I don't understand myself. I must return to focusing on uncovering more of those promises from God even in Judges then live on the promises in faith and not explanations.
Thank you for blessing me. A Song I must Sing of thanksgiving for each of you being there willing to make comments and allow yourselves to be vunerable to one another. What an amazing example of the Love of God through Jesus Christ our Lord I gain from each of you on this blog.
May God bless each of you abundantly today.
Sylvia