Tuesday, March 23, 2010
March 24 ... Judges 16 - 18 "Repentance"
Judges 17:6 "In those days there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing." Sounds like where we live. Not that much Christian leadership. Isn't everyone sort of free to do whatever they feel like doing, just about? A very good friend of mine is battling serious health issues with cancer that have interrupted her life. I went to see her last week and walked away from her presence thinking about one word. Repent. She talked about it in such an inviting way. No condemnation there. Made me want to repent. And that's what I keep mulling over as I continue to read through Judges and stories like Samson. The Israelites did not repent. Maybe sometimes their behavior looked like they were moving toward God with baby steps. We do see the outcome of their lives. You don't keep on living a life of sin---you don't want to! I am so grateful for a person in my life who has helped me discern what it means to repent and truly live, to really love. I was confused just like the Galatians with my epxectations of feeling everything I wanted to feel in this fallen world, as Larry says. I worked hard not to feel unloved, unnoiticed, uncared for. There are parts of me today that is so free from that and some parts still struggling through. It seems the Chrisitan world I live in is way too focused on the good life here. People don't say to me----except Larry and some of you reading this---what is holy in this situation you are in?....no, they are asking me what can we do to get out of the cancer or to help our children who are failing in some area or to restore a relationship? What will make our lives work? Is that working for you? That's where most people are and it's God Who is knocking on our hearts to make every one of us holy. Everybody always wants to know how I am doing with my cancer---I want to answer: Am I hating my sin more than my suffering? But I don't. I just tell them where I am. I wonder why. So many people aren't talking about their unholiness but rather how they are overcomers. Do you think deeply about how unholy you are? I'm a mess. And praise God, that's what Easter is all about! He is committed to my holiness at any cost to Him or me.
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Bev - What incredible insight to today's reading. Your question: "Do you think deeply about how unholy you are?" has me thinking. The word Holy and myself do not go in the same sentence. Yet, Praise the Lord for your last sentence. We are overcomers and victors on this side of the cross, yet, I am reminded through your post that repentance and remaining sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading will make me more Christlike and an Overcomer.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed Wednesday!
What a perfect way to start my day today thinking about repenting and turning completely the other way from sin. It's a new day!
ReplyDeleteI'm okay with not understanding the Old Testament and am grateful that it's okay. I just don't know how to handle my son who is starving for Him, yet needs proof in a way I don't know how to explain. I only had a short window with him yesterday while he was home and I really think I disappointed God by not communicating His love in a way that was inviting to him. Please pray for my son (23) who needs Him desperately right now.
Thanks!
Angie xoxo
Bev, I read your post and then I read the scripture of the day. It sounds like you answered your own question. When people ask how you are, you have an opportunity to share with them the healing of your heart. Eternal life is so much bigger than life here. It is what Samson struggled with, he knwew he was dedicated to God, he still wanted to fufill his earthly desires. He made a lot of selfish mistakes, but in the end he gave the ultimate gift of selflessness, he gave his own life to destroy the Philistines who had dishonored his God.
ReplyDeleteWas it just too inconvenient to go to Shiloh where the sanctuary of the true God resided? Isn't it amazing all the ways we fill our God-sized hole with trash. It's almost like we try to make it harder than it is.
ReplyDeleteI so appreciate each of you asking the hard questions. You aren't trying to fill your God-size hole with temporary fixes. Asking, "What is holy in this situation?" is transformational- repenting of self focus and returning to holiness, not of our own doing, but simply presenting our broken selves at His Feet, desperate for His righteousness.
Love your beautiful proclamation at the end, Bev. Easter awaits!
Angie, the Lord knows your heart for John, and it is His Will that all come to know Him. God will bless your heart's desire for your children to know and walk with Him. I'm praying for John and working on answering your email. Don't worry. God is revealing the hidden things to John, even as I type this. Remember your memory verse, "Delight yourself in the Lord and... what?" Love you, A
ReplyDeleteMy head was spinning from the reading when I logged on to read Bev's post. A very timely message for me, Bev. I'm thinking deeply about how unholy I am!
ReplyDeleteI just confirmed that I'm going to meet with my older sister on Monday evening. The purpose of the meeting is for me to listen to her and try to understand her perspective. I promised I wouldn't debate or argue with her at all. I would be quiet and just listen. (Since I'm the dominant sister, this is going to have to be a work of the Spirit!) Please pray for me to be filled with God's Spirit and as a result, exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. Pray that God gives me insight into her and compassion for her as well. Frankly, I don't like her much at this point in my life.
But more importantly, I don't want to use her sin as an excuse for my sin. I don't want to continue to sin against her either. I don't want to shy away from obeying God in the hard things, like this situation. Yet, it's hard to humble myself to someone who has wronged me over and over again for years.
But I'm at the point that I want to obey God more than I want to hold onto my pride and my need to be acknowledged as right. As much as I know how, I feel like I have repented of my sin in this relationship, and I pray that God will continue to lead me down this path. The dismantling of my heart continues...
Thanks for being fellow strugglers who encourage me in following God with all my heart and who don't let me off the hook with easy or trite answers. I appreciate it more than you could ever imagine.
Cici, I just got in and did a quick check on e-mails,etc...came on here and read your comments...you bless me and I'll continue prayers!! FG
ReplyDeleteAng and Cici, can I just say that I am sad about what you both are going through, but I am rejoicing because I see you both letting God know that you NEED Him. One thing I've learned about the Israelites is that they came to places in their lives where they didn't need God at all. They turned their back on Him.
ReplyDeleteWhen we need Him...desperately and totally NEED Him...He is pleased. He longs for us to NEED Him. I tell Him that all the time. He is my GOD, yes He is.
I consider it an honor to pray for both of your needs. May Christ alone live through you both and accomplish His purpose through your willingness to humble yourselves and seek Him in your needs.
Now, off to read the scriptures for today. Loved the Lenten devotion today on the Armor of God.
So thankful God does not abandon us. Samson told his secret and God abandoned him when his hair was cut by the lovely but manipulative Delilah. Ladies, we can choose God! We do not have to be like Delilah. Our men deserve women of integrity. Allow Christ to invade our sinful nature and replace it with His nature.
ReplyDeleteMicah and the Danites...did you notice how they had the appearance of following God? But only in the way they wanted to follow Him?
They made their Ephod...just like God commanded Moses to make for Aaron. But God was not in this.
They formed things out of gold...just like God commanded for His Tabernacle. But God was not in this.
They found a Levite...and made him their priest...just like God had designed for His people. But God was not in this.
And they went out to take their land...just like the Israelites had followed God's plan. But God was not in this.
We can do all the right things for all the wrong reasons. And we can make ourselves into a type of God. I know many people who think they can say they are Christians and yet they don't allow Him to be their Lord. Saviour, yes. But never Lord.
God knows those who are His. Carnality is the curse of the church today.
Lord, I pray that You would reveal our carnality and open our eyes to things we do that don't give You the place of honor as our Lord in our lives. Don't let us fool ourselves. Remove scales from our eyes and stone walls from around our hearts. Tender us to be sensitive to Your Spirit calling us to repentance. We cannot do this thing on our own. We need You. In Jesus Name. Amen.
We end our study of the judges in chapter 16 and what keeps coming to my mind is Hebrews 11:32: "I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah...who through FAITH conquered kingdoms..." and Hebrews11:29... "These were all commended for their FAITH." Their lives were not perfect, yet somewhere along the way, they believed God and stepped out in faith. I leave them wanting to let their faith be my focus, but also remembering the consequences of their sin.
ReplyDeleteChapters 17 and 18 shows what happens when there is no authority..."everyone doing what was right in their own eyes." Micah is stealing from his mother, building a private chapel, making an ephod, buying a priest and then says to himself, "Now I know that God will make things right for me..." (17:2) You've got to be kidding me! Don't I have that same mentality sometime? If I "do" this God will make things right for me.
Judges 18:1...again, no king. The Danites were seeking territory. They stopped at Micah's household and ended up taking his ephod, idols, and his priest. Then they marched on, captured the city of Laish and settled there, setting up Micah's carved image. And the priest is in it for money...goes to the highest bidder.
I'm going to go back to Samson to sum this up. When the Philistines came upon him in 16:20, "He woke up thinking, I'll go out, like always and shake free. HE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT GOD HAD ABANDONED HIM."
Todays entry in "Daily Light" is titled, 'HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY...and I read scripture after scripture on holiness. I guess it is just a "coincident" that Bev is highlighting holiness today.
Looks like God was highlighting it for me too.
Bev, I love how you are turning your "mess" into a message for the Body of Christ.
Ang...praying for your son too.
Blessings,
FG Forever Grateful
All of your comments mean something to me. I can't thank you enough for lingering here! You leave the Fragrance of Him!
ReplyDeleteHey Cici, I got your e-mail and actually read yours earlier today and have thought about you all evening (except for the hour I was consumed in correcting my son and trying to get out of it!) What kind of response do you want from your sister? Think about what you'd love to hear. What would bring you to tears? And knowing you, you will surrender it to Him. Pay close attention what happens inside of you as you sit and listen. Is there a battle going on inside of you? You have such courage! Go to listen and love. I believe in you and know you will honor Him, whatever that means. I'll be praying for you! Love, Bev
ReplyDeleteOh Ang, I blew it with my boy tonight so upset with him over things that don't matter for eternity. Didn't come from a good place in my heart even though I was right. Praying for you and your boy, precious kid. Look at the mom God gave him! May God bring some people to walk alongside of him and do Luke 24:45-48. Praying for you, Bev
ReplyDelete