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Daily Reading: July 8th

#DailyDevotion What gods Did You Sell Yourself To Today?

July 8th

Read Judg 3:7–31

Jdg 3:7-11  And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.  (8)  Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.  (9)  But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.  (10)  The Spirit of the LORD was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.  (11)  So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

 

The book of Judges is like an example of our lives at times as Christians.  In the time of the Judges time and again Israel fell away from its devotion to the Lord and worshipped the idols, the false gods of the land.  For some reason or another, the Lord who had mightily demonstrated his salvation to the people was forgotten.

 

So the Lord sends evil people, the very people they’re worshipping with, to punish and enslave them.  For idol worship is nothing but slavery to sin, the fear of death and Satan.  He gives them what they want.  But after a time the people cry out to the Lord like an alcoholic at the throne in the bathroom praying, “Lord if you get me out of trouble this time, I swear I’ll never do it again.”

 

And shockingly, the Lord sends a judge to save his people, to deliver them from the hands of their enemies.  After some time the people fall away again and fall into the same old traps of idolatry and false religions.  Now a judge in the Hebrew is not like a court room judge.  A judge for the Hebrews is a savior.  Now each of these judges in the book of Judges previews Jesus for us because Jesus is our Judge.

 

Like the Israelites whom the Lord left some of their enemies in the area to test them and train them for war, the Lord left us with our sinful nature having delivered us from sin, death and the power of the devil.  Indeed the sinful nature is there to test and try our faith, to purify it.  We like the Israelites are going to fall into sin.  We will repeat our old bad habits.  We will return to the false gods and false religions we have made up in our hearts and we will trust those rather than the Judge, Jesus Christ to be with us, provide for us and deliver us in our lives.  Jesus will let us.  He will let us dig a hole so deep for ourselves that we won’t know up from down.  Then what will be do?

 

Will we confess our sins and admit our faults?  Will we trust Jesus to deliver us and to turn to him again?  Will we finally cast off some of those idols of our hearts and replace them with Jesus?  Jesus promises us to call upon him in the day of trouble and he will deliver us.  Do not be afraid to call upon Jesus one more time while you still have breath upon your lips.  It is Jesus’ greatest desire to deliver you and save you.  Now is the day of salvation. Today is the day of deliverance.

 

Lord Jesus Christ, grant us such faith in you that we do not return to our sinful ways or listen to our flesh.  But also grant us repentance that when we do fall into sin we have the faith to call upon you for forgiveness and salvation.  Amen.

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Rev. Guillaume J. S. Williams, Sr.

The Reverend Guillaume Williams is the Pastor of Hope Lutheran Chapel of Osage Beach, Missouri. His pastoral ministry with Hope began in 2005 where he preaches the Christ crucified.

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