The Christmas season is almost upon us. I love this time of the year in so many ways. Despite all the commercialism and the push to rid Christmas of Jesus, His name is still prominent. In a time where people love to do what they think best, it is a timely reminder of what the world can become without a righteous King! Jesus is this righteous King who has come to bring us humans back into harmony with our Creator God! He has come to bring joy, hope and peace!
This final section of the book of Judges is a horrific account of just how far humankind can fall into evilness. It really is a terrible account of how one sin can lead to almost genocide of a tribe that is an integral part of the Israelite ‘family’. This all comes about from the central message we have been learning – ‘In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit’! And God said that ‘they did evil in His eyes’! We humans continue to fail to learn from history. Just look at what is happening over in Syria and Iraq this very day. Are we not witnessing exactly what we have read about in the book of Judges? Rape, murder and genocide?
I am concerned at how easily complacency can gain a foothold in our lives as we live in this nation of excess. O how I struggle with looking to God and inquiring of Him when decisions need to be made on almost a daily basis. So many times I actually fall into the trap of ‘doing it my way’! I know that I am not alone in this and that many Christians today struggle with leaning totally on God and truly allowing Him to sovereignly reign in our lives. Complacency always leads to that slow downward spiral of indifference, self-dependency, self-indulgence, pain and sorrow. This is the stark message that I am left with following our sojourn in Judges.
Let us all work together as we seek to spur each other on in a vibrant and joyous walk with the Lord. He knows best, and if the truth is to be told – walking with Him brings great satisfaction, joy, hope and genuine peace! Surely, there is no other way