RTW April 3
Repent, Rescue, Repeat
Again the Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight.
Judges 10:6a
My Takeaways
Something Old
Their evil led to their misery. Their misery grieved the Lord. (10:16) Sin causes misery, and this misery grieves the Lord.
Misery (`amal): toil, trouble, labor, mischief.
Toil: hard and continuous work, exhausting labor or effort.
Something New
Evil (roa) badness, (physically or morally), naughtiness, wickedness.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (NIV) Ephesians 4:29-32
Something to Do
Break the cycle. Stop being a repeat offender.
Oh girls, I did it again. I read April 2nd and 3rd yesterday as one day. Don’t ask me how I managed to do that without noticing, because I have no idea. At any rate my comments I made on yesterday’s post should really go for the comments on today’s post. Today I will back up and pull something from yesterday’s reading to post today. Shame on me. 🙁
My Takeaways: The Spirit of the Lord leaves Gideon.
Something Old: Gideon defeats the Midianites Judges 7:1-25. Gideon shows how insignificant men can rise up and become great in the eyes of God. “But Gideon reply, I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The Lord will rule over you!” Judges 8:23 Gideon pointed them in the right direction by saying, “The Lord will rule over you.” But what happens next, is my something new comment.
Something New: “However I do have one request–that each of you give me an earring from the plunder you collected from your fallen enemies.” (Judges 8:24) Gideon made an ephod with all that gold he collected. Sounds like he is going back to his old ways. His ephod became his idol.-(Judges 8:27) Remember Aaron’s golden calf? Wondering if that is why they called him Jerub-baal after his death (Judges 8:35). The Israelites quickly forgot what God had done for Gideon. Instead they worshipped Gideon’s ephod. Gideon’s victory over the Midianites gave them 40 years of peace for Israel. But the peace they had was only with the other nations, not with God. Gideon had courage for a moment, but not for a lifetime. Sounds like me today. I start a diet all excited and ready to go then 6 weeks into it I’m back to my old ways. As a Christian I need to remember to finish strong all the way to the end. I don’t want to become a Gideon. How easy it is to slip away. Obeying one day doesn’t guarantee permanence.
Something To Do: Apart from God, I can fall so far, so fast, and not even realize it at the time. I must live for Christ day in and day out over the course of a lifetime. Remember people are watching. I must leave a godly legacy for my children, grandchildren, and the people that I hang with. My life should make a godly impact on the next generation.
I wanted to share a poem I heard while riding on Dr. Vernon McGee’s Bible bus. I thought about it as I’ve been reading Judges. It was sent in by a lady who also rides his bus and they read it on the air. Not sure if I have it just right, but I think it went something like this:
A SONG OF THE SOWERS
We often sing the reaper song.
Where joy and harvesting is found,
But I would sing the sowers praise —
Is He who tills the fallen ground.
You may have planted seeds,
Of grace, in some unyeilded, rugged
Earth.
You never see the ripened grain,
But He records the sowers worth.
Keep spreading wide his blessed
word,
Where the Savior’s will, shall lead.
For reapers stand with empty hands,
Without the one who sows the seed.
Bless the gospel sowers, Lord,
And may thy people come to know
There would be no harvest of lost
souls
Without the faithful ones who sow.