The People of Israel did evil in God's sight...God's anger was hot against Israel...But then God raised up judges who saved them from their plunderers..when the judge died, the people went right back to their old ways - but even worse than their parents! - running after other gods, serving and worshiping them. Stubborn as mules, they didn't drop a single evil practice. (2:11-19)
"My people in Judges never repented...My people never looked deeply into themselves to identify what they most deeply feared. They never realized that there's something worse than a difficult life, than feelings of inadequacy and insecurity, than discomfort and pain. The worst fear they faced was the loss of the blessings that were providing them with comfort and a sense of personal well-being. That why they paid no attention to Me when life was pleasant. They took Me for granted when their lives were going well. And when life become painful, when their fear of lost blessings was realized, they returned to Me - not for relationship with Me, but only for the good life they believed was their greatest good...Only when people look deeply into themselves will they truly repent." 66 LLIt's funny how much easier it is to recognize sin in other people. It jumps off the page to me as I read about the Israelites. It's become almost like a game to me to see if I can identify where they're violating the Law of Moses, and I actually underline it in my Bible.
Yet I'm sitting here thinking about whether I've truly repented of the sin in my own life, particularly the subtle sin that I've grown accustomed to, like cynicism about some relationships, swearing under my breath when I'm annoyed, feelings of spiritual superiority over certain people, or manipulating people and situations to make sure things go my way. Am I just an Israelite after all??
When called out for their disobedience (2:4-5), they displayed the emotion and they did the "right thing" in sacrificing, but it didn't lead to a sustained change in behavior because it wasn't about their relationship with God. It was about getting what they wanted.
In a similar way, I've been horrified recently when my child innocently repeated one of my (really bad) swear words. I certainly felt the emotion, and I prayed about how to deal with her appropriately. But as I write this, I honestly don't know that I've seriously dealt with the deeper sins of selfishness and anger that lead to me cussing like a sailor. I thought I'd kicked this embarrassing habit years ago, but it's reared its ugly head again. This time around though, I've been far more focused on how to deal with the behavior rather than my heart issue.
Yet I know that I can't just snap my fingers and rid myself of the sin. I've tried that. Only God can change my behavior by changing what's going on in my heart:
"There is a fundamental principle of the Christian life that I call the principle of dependent responsibility; that is, we are responsible before God to obey His Word, to put to death the sins in our lives, both the so-called acceptable sins and the obviously not acceptable ones. At the same time, we do not have the ability within ourselves to carry out this responsibility. We are in fact totally dependent upon the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. In this sense, we are both responsible and dependent...
The paradox is that those whose lives most reflect the fruit of the Spirit are usually those who are most keenly aware of and groan inwardly over these so-called acceptable sins in their own lives. But there are also a vast multitude who are quite judgmental toward the grosser sins of society but who seem pridefully unaware of their own personal sins. And a lot of us live somewhere in between. But the point is, all of our sin, wherever we may be on the spectrum of personal awareness of it in our lives, is reprehensible in the sight of God and deserving of His judgment...
For those who are true believers, God is still our Heavenly Father, and He is at work among us to call us to repentance and renewal. Part of His calling is to lead us to the place where we do see the sins we tolerate in our own lives so that we will experience the repentance and renewal we need." Jerry Bridges, Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate"I want you to realize that your problem is the same as the problem you can see in My people in all the stories I tell in Judges. Your problem is the same, as bad and as deep. And I want you to see that no system of reward and punishment changes what is so terribly wrong, in you or in them." 66 LL
4 comments:
Sadly, there are too many sins I tolerate (or have even become numb to) in my life. It's similar to the Israelites in chapter 1 who "never got rid of" the Canaanites; "settled down with the Canaanites"; "just moved in and lived with them". That's how it feels with my "acceptable" sins: living with little thought of God or His glory or my dependence on Him; self-sufficiency; lack of thankfulness; anxiety. Interesting how He's recently put relational situations in my life to bring these uglies to a point where I can't ignore them.
As I read the chapter in the 66 Love Letter's book on Judges, I thought wow and then I thought ouch and wondered if I might just want to skip this particular "Love Letter". Yet, I am open and definitely seeking what God might have to say to me through His word in Judges.
Even this morning after reading the first two chapters, I am meditating and listening.
One thing I thought about was my attitude (even in doing what I think is good) toward dealing with & ministering to those in my family that have been quite challenging the past 6 months. Some of them lost, some of them luke warm, all at odd's with each other. As I listen to them and counsel them, is it in my own "strength"? is it truly with the attitude of Christ? Realizing that the tendency is for my flesh to take over and try to reason or be logical, to figure out how to help them based on my own logic ... that's a joke for sure (especially with the severity of what's occurring in their lives). I am even more moved to see my own heart and to allow Christ to be seen.
"I never heal superficially...My plan is to change you from the inside out, to change your motives - why you do what you do - and to change your impact on people so that how you relate to others will make them thirsty for Me and will draw them into desperate, grateful dependence on Me." (66 LL)
Lord, I pray you will change me from the inside out and that as I relate to those around me they will be thirsty for and drawn to you !
I sinned yesterday---hid something---and got caught. So embarrassing cause my motives were out of fear of God not providing. But I think that I can get rid of my sin---how foolish. Rom 7:17 - sin resides in me. Far worse than I even imagine I am. Far more hope that I ever know I have. Read the Resurrection Story this morning...who was the first person Jesus appeared to: a sinner, prostitute, Mary Magdalene w/ 7 demons who loved Him! Thank you God for changing the motives of my heart to love & gratitude. Judges 2 - Stay on God's Road and walk down it. Thanks Cici for a very good post.
Praying to come to God for Him...for His relationship. Often my sin too, just resides, and gets in the way. Then when I feel convicted of it from the Spirit, its hard. But a friend reminded me that conviction is sweet because it is the first step before repenting and turning to the Lord, drawing nearer to HIM more than ever before-every time. This is what I desire. No matter how ugly or painful. Asking our Father for help with my sin that I can't see yet and the sin that I can see so clearly- especially just lack of trust and desiring to control everything around me these days.
Lord, I need You. So badly. I love You, Lord.
In Judges 2, I just see a story of a person who is reaching out to be paid attention to, to be cared about, to love, to give, to be present and known, but just constantly gets rejected... for other things.. other gods.. just flat out rejected. And that is our Lord. I cry out today because I don't want to reject Him like this. I hate sin! And I want this hatred to just grow with all my heart!!
Post a Comment