March 4, 2024 - Judges 10-12

A very unusual Sunday, yesterday.  While Donna was at Baxter, I stayed home.  I just didn’t think I could sit through 2-3 hours and, I believe, I was correct.  My neck has really been hurting, and I don’t want to do much more than lie down on my back and not move.  Donna said it was a good morning with Seth preaching.  After dropping Safi home, Donna ran by Carali’s and picked up chicken and rice.  We enjoyed that for lunch and just a bit of TV before naps.  Donna did some yard work but not much else going on through the day.  I was glad for the day to come to a close.

The Lord said to Israel, “’You have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more.  Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.’  And the people of Israel said to the Lord, ‘We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.’  So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel” (10:13-16).  More judges.  More sin by the people.  Yet God continues to deliver Israel from her enemies.  How wonderful is his patience and longsuffering with them and with us!  So, once again, the people confess their sins and promise to do better.  Surely, the Lord knew that their promises were good for only a season; after all, he had been down this road with Israel many times.

What a wonderful thing, though, to know that our God will forgive whenever we set our hearts truly on him even if our hearts are unstable.  How good to know that, though we turn away from the Lord, never does he finally turn away from us.  And so, “Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Savior divine!

Now hear me while I pray,

take all my guilt away;

O let me from this day

be wholly Thine.

May Thy rich grace impart

strength to my fainting heart,

my zeal inspire;

as Thou hast died for me,

O may my love to Thee

pure, warm, and changeless be,

a living fire.   --Ray Palmer (1830)