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Devotional
Weekly Bible Devotion By Books
Feb.13 - 18, 2023
Enter the Presence of the Lord (Psalm 84: 1, 3a, 10-12)
(M) How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
(W) Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
(M) Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
(W)For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
(M) No good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
(All) Lord Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.
Confession
Adoration
Scripture Reading Judges 21:25, 2 Peter 3:17b-18
Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.
2 Peter 3: 17b-18 17 Therefore, dear friends, …be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
Thoughts to share: What to do with the winds and trends of the world?
The book of Judges is a puzzling book. It spends 13 chapters in total 21 chapters to speak of 12 judges- minor judges and major judges. Some judges were indeed rather fallen leaders. The entire book is full of the descriptions of conflicts: the conflict of Israelites with original residents, the conflict of Israelites and neighboring peoples, the conflict among Israelites, the conflict of the Israelites and God. As a matter of fact, there were some rather peaceful time periods. But they appeared in very, very brief descriptions.
Who were those Israelites? They were another new generations after Joshua. They were the decedents of those who entered the Promised Land. Somehow, we were told that they did not know the Lord or the work which he had done for Israel. They were pretty much blended into their surrounding local popular cultures. They intermarried with local peoples. They welcomed their kinds of gods and godlessness. They, from ordinary peoples to leaders, invited those idols into their own lives, their families, and their tribes. They were not ashamed of engaging tricks, violence, abuses, and fights among them. They lorded over each other. Everyone was right in his/her own eyes.
It is hard to imagine such a social image in the beautiful land of Honey and Milk. Was such a social life what the Israelites had paid huge price to get? Where was God? Was God still working among them? Where did people discern God’s mercy on them? What was the point that such a depressive book was included in the Bible? As I searched and pondered, I found something very encouraging. Firstly, there were still some people who knew God’s heart and God's way. Secondly, God saw their oppressions beyond they could bear and he still willed to be near to them. Thirdly, God heard their cries and decided to respond to them. And he raised judges to rescue them. He took part in the process of calling, validating and authorizing, gifting, enabling those judges. He was with them and directed them until He restored peace to them. Fourthly, God forgave them and their sins. Fifthly, God gave them freedom to choose. Sixthly, God gave them unceasing mercy and salvation.
In the century we live in, we continue to see some similarities between our times and the times of judges. On one hand, we live in such affluent land. Everyone has right and freedom to be creative and to speak his/her own mind. Every opinion is to be seen equally. On the other hand, we have so many confusions, poverty, injustice, violence and fights…. Sometimes, we fall into the philosophical questions: What is right and good? Who is the Lord of the land? Is God still working among us? Seeing through the book of Judges, we begin to see hope amid all of confusions. We find courage to move on with what we learned from the word of God. Growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ is the way of guarding us out of the confusions of all ever-changing trends and winds around us.
Prayer suggestions
What winds and trends are we surrounded by? Do we have discernment on them? On what basis do we discern and judge? Where do we find the wisdom? Whom are we surrounded by?
O, Lord, the world trends and winds around us are surely strong and confusing. Help us grow in the grace and knowledge
of your son Jesus Christ. Help us to stand firm. Keep us in the circle of your children so that we may walk together through the challenges from our culture and world. We need you. We need our brothers and sisters in you. Amen.
Prayer Request
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