Cycles

March 30, 2008

Judges 2:18-19 NET
(18) When the LORD raised up leaders for them, the LORD was with each leader and delivered the people from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The LORD felt sorry for them when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them.
(19) When a leader died, the next generation would again act more wickedly than the previous one. They would follow after other gods, worshiping them and bowing down to them. They did not give up their practices or their stubborn ways.

As we begin the book of Judges, we will look and see a repetitive pattern that the Israelites got into all through the book of Judges. It is a pattern that we can learn from in our own lives as well. They would be oppressed, call out for help, God would raise a judge to deliver them who would then die and then they would go back to their bad ways and the cycle would start again.

In our own lives, we face problems that seem to overwhelm us like the Israelites did from their enemies. We cry out to God for help. He sends it in the form of a councilor, one to disciple you, a pastor, or someone else. Eventually the problem gets resolved and then we drift away from the one who helps us, and from God. Finally we wind up back in the same situation all over again.

I do not know about you, but in my life that has happened quite a few times. I do not want to be on it anymore. It is time to trust God and keep your trust in Him. Stay with him when the times are bad, anyone can do that. Can you stay with Him when the times are good?

Read through the Bible in one year in Historical order
Today
Judges 1:1-2:23
Tomorrow
Judges 3:1-5:31
http://tinyurl.com/24beby for a daily reading tool