Judges 4:1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, now that Ehud was dead.
God knew, when the Israelites failed to drive out the Canaanites as He said, that the Israelites were still struggling with growth and maturity in their relationship with Him. So he used the Canaanites’ presence to increase the Israelites’s awareness of their need for Him. He used all things (to paraphrase Romans 8:28) for their good and His glory.
Judges 4:2 So the LORD sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan….
The bottom line is that God loved the Israelites fiercely. They were His chosen people. They certainly weren’t perfect. They struggled often in their faithfulness to God. But He used even their bad decisions to draw them closer to Him.
Judges 4:3 Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the LORD for help.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder that we don’t have to be perfect to be Yours. It is so easy to beat ourselves up when we fail, so easy to throw our hands up in defeat when we once again make a mess of things. Thank You for loving us so much that You use even our messes to bring us closer to You. Amen.
Judges 4:23 On that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the Israelites.
Have a blessed day.
Seeking His will for me daily…. (devo reflection)
Joshua 10:8 The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”
As I read through Joshua 10, I am strongly reminded of Joshua 5:13-14, when Joshua sees a man with a drawn sword and asks if he is with them (Joshua and the Israelites) or with their enemies. The reply is “Neither, but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” There is a solid message in Joshua 10 that “God is for us,” but I think it is crucial to remember that God is for them because they are for God, on His side, in line with His will for them.
Romans 8:32 “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
I believe that I am a deeply, fiercely loved child of God. I love my Savior deeply, and though I still struggle with fear, doubt, and bitterness, I am learning to trust Him and walk faithfully and obediently on the paths He has for me. Sometimes it is easy for me to see the way in which He wants me to go. Sometimes I have to go one next step at a time, praying, seeking, correcting my course. But I know that if I continue to seek Him and His will for me, I will find both every time.
Joshua 10:25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder that it is crucial that I seek Your will for me daily. Thank You for the reminder that You are for me because I am for You. Help me, always, to make Your will my own. Draw me closer. Amen.
Joshua 10:42 All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
Have a blessed day.
By faith and not sight…. (devo reflection)
Joshua 9:8 …Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”
I would encourage you to take a moment and read through all four verses of scripture before reading my reflection. The Gibeonites had heard of the LORD’s power and the Israelites’ victories, and they were afraid. The Israelites were coming off an overwhelming victory at Ai and were feeling pretty good about life and their own abilities. Commentary says, “They walked by sight and not by faith.” They bought into the well executed ruse of the Gibeonites. Had they bothered to ask God what to do in this situation, God would have provided. He always does. But they didn’t.
Joshua 9:9 They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we had heard reports of Him: all He did in Egypt….”
Romans 8:28 comes to mind in this chapter. The Gibeonites created such an elaborate ruse because they feared the LORD and His power. They genuinely chose service to the LORD over death. The Israelites, once realizing their own error, were bound by their oath and were forced to press the Gibeonites into service for Him since they couldn’t destroy the Gibeonites. God could have wiped the Israelites off the earth for disobeying yet again, but He did not. He worked all things to their good and His glory.
Joshua 9:12 “This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But see how dry and moldy it is.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder not to trust our eyes but to come to You, seeking Your will, always. Thank You for Your willingness and ability to work all things for our good and Your glory if we will allow. Draw us closer. Amen.
Joshua 9:14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD.
Have a blessed day.
The biggest difference…. (devo reflection)
Numbers 14:2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!”
As I was reading Numbers 14 this morning, thinking once again how much I am like the Israelites at times, my sweet Savior whispered to my heart, “You are not the Israelites.” That got my attention, and I thought, “Cool. Now I know what I’ll write about today.” But trying to articulate my thoughts has been incredibly difficult.
Numbers 14:3 “Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?…Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
The Israelites wanted an easy road. Who wouldn’t? But I know we live in a fallen world, and that it isn’t always going to be easy. The Israelites railed against God. But I’ve gone to God before, expressing my anger at life’s unfairness. The biggest difference I can see between us is that the Israelites would have gone back to Egypt, to slavery, if given the chance, and I would NEVER walk away from my Savior. Thank You, Jesus.
Numbers 14:9 “Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder that I am NOT like the Israelites in a very crucial way. Thank You that I can be honest with You about my anger and frustration, but that my trust in You is greater than anything else. Thank You for my absolute trust in You and in Your promises such as Hebrews 13:5 (…”Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you”) and Romans 8:28 (And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose). Thank You for drawing me closer. Always. Amen.
Numbers 14:12 The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?”
Have a blessed day.
Each with a purpose…. (devo reflection)
Numbers 4:5 When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the covenant law.
Numbers 4 puts me in mind of both 1 Cor 12:12 and Romans 12:4-5. 1 Cor 12:12 says: For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. Romans 12:4-5 reads: For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Numbers 4:31 As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, it’s crossbars, posts and bases….
Numbers 4 talks about the different tribes and their responsibilities when moving the camp. Everyone has a specific job. No job is more or less valuable than another. Everyone must do his or her part to keep the whole working. This is the way of life, too. No matter your place, your job, it’s important to the whole. Without you to do your part, the process would begin to break down. What you do, daily, is important. YOU are important.
Numbers 4:32b …Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this walk through Your word. Thank You for the knowledge and insight I am gaining. Thank You for the way You designed us—each with a purpose that only we can fulfill. Help us never to forget our role in Your plan. Draw us closer. Amen.
Numbers 4:49 At the LORD’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry….
Have a blessed day.
The way of peace and hope…. (devo reflection)
Gen 50:15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for the wrongs we did to him?”
My heart hurts a bit for the brothers here. They are so firmly locked into the human mindset that they are afraid that now that Jacob has died, Joseph will exact revenge on them for their earlier treatment of him. Not only are they wary of Joseph’s true motives, believing his kindness was because of their father and not God, but also, they believe that Joseph’s forgiveness of them earlier was not genuine. Or perhaps they had not forgiven themselves, and that caused their skepticism. At any rate, their turmoil and fear floats just below the surface and is a bit heart breaking to see.
Gen 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good….”
Throughout the commentary on Genesis, there has been a parallel drawn between Joseph and Jesus. It is something I have never thought of before and definitely something I would like to think on and read about further, but I can definitely see, in Joseph and Jesus, an unwavering trust and faith in God’s sovereignty, regardless of earthly circumstances. I want that type of unwavering faith, and the peace that it brings, in my life.
Rom 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this walk through the book of Genesis. Thank You for the unexpected lessons and the timely reminders encountered here. Thank You for the reminder at the end of Genesis that Yours is the way of peace and hope. Help me to trust and obey. Draw me closer. Amen.
Gen 50:21 “So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
Have a blessed day.
You are with us always…. (devo reflection)
Gen 39:1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of the Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites….
The story of Joseph seems to be a story of faithfulness—both Joseph’s and God’s. Joseph has been wrongfully sold into slavery by his brothers, wrongfully accused of sexual advances by his master’s wife, wrongfully imprisoned because of those false charges. By human standards, he has every right to be angry because what keeps happening to him is not fair. But he remains faithful and finds a way to serve God, even in his unpleasant circumstances.
Gen 40:2-3 Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody…in the same prison where Joseph was confined.
In Genesis 40, I am reminded again and again of Isaiah 43:19 (…Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness…) and Romans 8:28 (…in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him….). Potiphar, the master whose wife falsely accused Joseph, is the captain of the guard in the prison where he is housed. He shows Joseph kindness and favor while he is imprisoned, showing that he did not believe his wife’s charges against him. And with the addition of the chief cupbearer and chief baker, God is continuing to put things in place to move Joseph where He, God, can powerfully use him.
Gen 40:4a The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that You are with us always, even when our circumstances are unpleasant, unfair, or unbearable, even when we feel alone. Thank You that You can use all things for our good and Your glory and for continuing to make a way in our circumstances. Help us to trust and obey. Draw us closer. Amen.
Gen 40:4b-5 After they had been in custody for some time, each of the two men…had a dream the same night.
Have a blessed day.
Drawing closer…. (devo reflection)
Gen 25:19 This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac….
Genesis 25 has a lot going on—Abraham’s remarriage, additional children, death, and burial; Ishmael’s descendants; Isaac and Rebekah’s infertility, pregnancy, and birth of twins, and Esau selling his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. It’s a lot, but I want to focus for a moment on Isaac and Rebekah.
Gen 25:20 …Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah….
Isaac, 40 years old when he married Rebekah, was 60 (according to commentary) when he finally became a father. Verse 21 is all that we have of those 20 intervening years. “Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife became pregnant.” Twenty years of prayer. Twenty years of feeling the ache of a promise unfulfilled. Twenty years of faithfully drawing closer to God while waiting for His will and His way. May we all be as faithful.
Gen 25:21a Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife because she was childless….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this example of faithful waiting. No matter what trials I am facing in life, no matter how much waiting and prayer are required, help me to draw closer to You through the journey, help me to realize that drawing closer to You IS the journey. Help me to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (Rom 12:12) Amen.
Gen 25:21b …The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.
Have a blessed day.
Suffering produces perseverance…. (devo reflection)
Rom 5:3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance….
I doubt that anyone likes to suffer. I know I certainly don’t. But I will be quite honest and tell you that my faith is stronger because of the suffering that I’ve encountered. It doesn’t make me want to throw a party to celebrate those trials, but I certainly appreciate how my faith has grown and matured, how my trust in my Savior has deepened, through those trials.
Rom 5:4 …perseverance, character; and character, hope.
It seems that from the moment of birth, we are on this crash course to prove that we can handle life by ourselves, that we are self-sufficient and self-reliant. But that attitude produces hubris and pride, which are useless in God’s kingdom. Through trials, He takes me to the end of myself, to the limits of my self-reliance, and reminds me that I cannot, in fact, do this on my own, but that I don’t need to because He’s with me, He’s got me, He is in control.
Rom 5:5a And hope does not put us to shame….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder that You are my strength and my refuge. This world wants me to feel weak if I can’t do it on my own. You use the suffering in my life to remind me that as Your deeply loved child, I can rest in You, knowing that You hold me securely, no matter the trial, that You are working all things for my good and Your glory, even when the world seems upside down. I love You, Lord. I need You. I trust You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Rom 5:5b …because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Have a blessed day.
Holding firmly to the faith…. (devo reflection)
Heb 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith that we profess.
One method of prayer and study that I have become familiar with in recent years is reading a verse of scripture, meditating on it, and making note of the words from the verse that really speak to me or stand out to me. This form of prayer and meditation came to mind as I looked back over today’s verses.
Rom 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ….
Faith, peace, grace, access, and hope stand out to me in these verses. Jesus is the key. Our faith in Him allows us to tap into His peace, which surpasses all understanding. The grace which we receive from our relationship with Christ, allows us access to the Father. Because of our relationship and the access it allows us through faith to our Father, we can boldly approach God’s throne, seeking His love, grace, and mercy, no matter our need. Thank You, Jesus.
Rom 5:2 …through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Your Son, through whom my relationship with You has been restored. Thank You for faith, peace, grace, hope, and for access to You through Your Son. Thank You for the confidence that can only come through Jesus, for the ability to call You Father, and for the joy that can only come from being Your beloved child. Draw me closer. Amen.
Heb 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Have a blessed day.