April 23
Judg 1:1-2:9 | PS 90:1-91:16 | Prov 13:24-25 | Luke 21:29-22:13
We come to an interesting transition as we move from the book of Joshua to the book of Judges. Joshua illustrates triumph as people follow God, while Judges largely illustrates failure as people take their eyes off of God. Joshua illustrates a walk of obedience, while Judges illustrates failure as a result of disobedience. In Joshua they took no captives, completely destroying the enemy. In Judges they failed to destroy the enemy and lived among and often alongside the enemy. Life in the Promised Land is a picture of what life in the believer in Christ can look like with the Holy Spirit within us, as we should realize the truth in Romans 8:37, " Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Victory is ours already through the power of the Holy Spirit. When we choose to humbly obey God and submit to His will, the enemies: Satan, the flesh, and the world have already been defeated. When we choose to allow sin to fester, to live in and around us, perhaps below the surface where no one sees, this sin weakens our walk, distracts us from our purpose in Him. Like the books of Joshua and Judges, they had a choice, and so do we.
As we open the first chapter of Judges, we see the recurring phrase, tribe by tribe, they failed to drive out the pagan group living among them and either forced them into slave labor or lived among them side by side. This was never God's plan. Jesus gave a similar warning in Luke 21:34-36, “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.” Though we might take our eyes off of God, He never takes His eyes off of us, as we read in Psalm 90:8, "You spread out our sins before you - our secret sins - and you see them all." Though life is long, and our days vary, some are strong and victorious, while others resemble more weakness and failure, we should remember Moses' words in 90:12, "Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom."
Like the books of Joshua and Judges, we all have a choice, not just in our lives as a whole, but day to day, moment to moment. We either choose to go it alone as though God doesn't see us, or we see ourselves as God's vessels walking in the power of His Holy Spirit. Every conversation, every interaction, every time we look at our phones, drive on the road, stand in line at a store, etc. The decisions never stop. How often do we miss out on God's opportunities as we are consumed internally or externally on idle or purposeless things. Time is one of God's most precious gifts given to us, do we make the most of each minute or do we waste large portions of this precious gift. The Holy Spirit is not leaving the body of the believer; it is often us who choose to disregard Him. Lord, please make us aware of your presence, please help us to redeem the time, please guide our feet in your paths of righteousness, please guide our hands in the service of obedience, please guide our minds and our hearts in love and obedience to you, and please gives us eyes of purity to see You and be the vessels that You have called us to be.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: