Judges 2:16-19

Hey, y'all, happy Wednesday! :)

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Judges 2:16-19

Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down  to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do so. And when the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and harassed them. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.

 

These verses summarize the rest of the book of Judges--the people would wander off after other gods, God would bring judgment in the form of captivity, they would cry out to the Lord, He would raise up a deliverer, they would follow the Lord for a while, then they would wander off after other gods....over and over again. Actually, come to think of it, this sums up most of the Bible and basically the history of mankind. The wandering propensities of the human race, the repetitive mercy and redemptive grace of the Lord--that's the story of everyone's life. Reading passages like this, seeing that God still loved His people even when they wandered, and He continually sought to bring them back into a relationship with Himself; it inspires hope--no matter how far or how often you've run away, God's grace is still enough and His heart still longs after you. It also inspires obedience--knowing how much He loves me, I will strive to stay close to Him!

 

Father, how grateful I am that You never give up on Your people! Thank You for the many times You have drawn me back to Your side. Help me to stay close to You, giving up my own "stubborn way" to simply follow You!

 

May the Lord richly bless you as you walk with Him!

 

Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website