Today’s Reading:  1 Samuel 1 & Psalm 67

1 Samuel starts with the story of Hannah, which I find in direct contrast to Naomi’s story.  When Naomi found herself without her sons and without grandchildren, she felt sorry for herself and blamed God for the pain life had dealt her.  What is missing from the book of Ruth is Naomi’s prayer life.  Did she call on God?  Did she ask God for the desires of her heart?  Even after Ruth gave birth to Obed, we hear the women in Bethlehem praising God but the author leaves out Naomi’s praise.  We know she found great joy in caring for her grandson but did she spend as much time thanking God as she had blaming God and taking pity on herself?

Hannah was just as grief stricken to be without children as Naomi was to have lost hers.  But what we see in Hannah’s story is a woman who prayed to God and her prayers were answered.  Her story teaches us how to pray and reveals the heart behind her prayers.  

Hannah was barren and wanted to have a baby so she prayed to God.  The exact description of her prayer is “out of great anguish and sorrow” (1 Samuel 1:16).  I’ve read this story many times and have always been able to relate to Hannah’s heart because of my own struggle with infertility before I was healed.  But one day, while again reading through this first chapter of 1 Samuel, God graciously showed me something different in Hannah’s story.

Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle…On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children…Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.  “Why are you crying?” Elkanah would ask.  “Why aren’t you eating?  Why be so downhearted just because you have no children?  You have me – isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray…Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.  And she made this vow:  “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you.  He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”  – 1 Samuel 1:3-11

I have always thought Hannah wanted a child so that she could have a child.  That makes sense to me.  But then she gives him back to the Lord and is again without a child – a part of the story that has always confused me.  Hannah’s intent was always to GIVE THE CHILD BACK TO GOD, not just in the way we do when we dedicate our children to the Lord, but to literally give her child to the Church and again be without him.  If I focus on the annual sacrifice, I see the heart behind Hannah’s desire to have a son.

The portion of the meat Hannah was given to sacrifice was choice (some translations say it was a double portion) and it showed Elkanah’s great love for her, but it still reflected the reality that she was without children.  She prayed for a child so that she would have something of great worth to give back to God.  She could give the most incredible sacrifice a mother could ever give, her son.  God saw Hannah’s heart – saw it was out of love for God that she asked for something God would see as priceless and beyond the value of any other sacrifice.  God, who knew He would one day offer His own son as a sacrifice, understood the cost – He understood Hannah’s heart and answered her prayer.

God also saw the great faith that Hannah had.  When Hannah explained the reason behind her great anguish and sorrow to the priest, Eli, he responded:  “In that case, go in peace!  May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him” (1:17).  And that is exactly what Hannah did – she left with a peace and confidence that God would indeed answer her prayer.  She went back and began to eat again and she was no longer sad (1:18b).  

What great faith Hannah had!  Her prayer had not yet been answered but she believed that God would grant her request and she allowed Him to fill her heart with joy again – even before her prayer was answered.  

When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, and in due time she gave birth to a son.  She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the Lord.  But Hannah did not go.  She told her husband, “Wait until the boy is weaned.  Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the Lord permanently.”

“Whatever you think is best,” Elkanah agreed.  “Stay here for now, and may the Lord help you keep your promise.” – 1 Samuel 1:19b-23a

And now we see the heart of Hannah’s husband.  Let’s not miss the fact that he would soon be losing the son he loved so much.  In fact, Elkanah could have forbidden such a sacrifice, but he instead affirmed and supported Hannah’s promise to God.  Elkanah loved Hannah (1:5) and had seen her joy return in the birth of her son, but recognized the struggle that was ahead.  They knew it would be difficult to give Samuel to the Lord and he prayed for help from the Lord.  He recognized that the God they served could give them the strength to do exactly as Hannah had promised.  

When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh.  They brought along a three-year-old bull for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine.  After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.  “Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked.  “I am the woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord.  I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.”  And they worshiped the Lord there. – 1 Samuel 1:24-28

Hannah went from carrying a small sacrifice of meat to Shiloh to pulling along a three-year-old bull for the sacrifice.  What a difference!  She was traveling to Shiloh to give God her best – to loving place her son in the arms of the Church, and allow God to use his life for HIS kingdom.  The bull represented the value of all God had blessed her life with and all she was looking forward to giving back to God.  God had blessed her generously so that she could give back to Him.  God had seen the desire of her heart!

Lord, give me the heart of Hannah – give me her PASSION to be generous with you and her great FAITH to trust you.  Then give me the strength to do all you have called me to do and all I committed to you.   I thank you from the depth of my heart for the three wonderful baby girls you have given me.  I will never forget the great gift of motherhood you gave me and I commit to leaving them in your hands.  Lord, give me the strength to let go of them completely when the time comes.  I love you, Father God. Amen.

Today’s Reading:  Ruth

In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land.  So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him.  The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi.  Their sons were Mahlon and Kilion.  They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah.  And when they reached Moab, they settled there. – Ruth 1:1-2

We read back in Genesis of the origin of the Moabites and it is not a pretty story.  After Lot fled from Sodom and Gomorrah, he settled in a small village of Zoar.  He became afraid of the people there and retreated to a cave in the mountains with his two daughters.  These young women began to fear they would never marry and have children now that they were isolated and living away from their people.  So they shamefully got their father drunk and took turns going in to lie with him and do things that should never be done.  As a result they both became pregnant with their own father’s child. Instead of trusting in God to meet their needs, they took their future into their own hands and sinned against both God and their father.

The oldest daughter gave birth to a son and she named him Moab.  The younger sister gave birth to a son and named him Ben-ammi.  These two boys grew up and their families became the Moabites and the Ammonites – two perennial enemies of Israel with a history of grotesque wickedness, just as their incest-born origin (Genesis 19:30-38).

The reason this history is significant to me is that Elimelech and his family were able to peacefully settle in the land of Moab regardless of the history of these two nations – Judah and Moab.  In time of severe famine, when their family needed a place of refuge, God graciously provided a peaceful resting place for them.  But trouble and sorrow are often a part of everyday life and Elimelech died, leaving Naomi alone with her two sons.  Contrary to God’s command for Israelites to not marry foreigners, Naomi’s sons married Moabite women – Orpah and Ruth.  Ten years later, tragedy struck again and Naomi lost both her sons.

“…the Lord himself has raised his fist against me.” – Ruth 1:13b

These are the words of a woman with a broken heart, struggling to understand why the God who had provided so well for her during her everyday existence would now allow such tragedy to strike her family.  She had praised God during times of plenty but now only pitied herself during times of loss.  

Naomi encouraged her two daughters-in-law to return to their families, but Ruth loved Naomi and begged to return to Naomi’s homeland with her, pledging “…Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live.  Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God…” (1:16b).

When Naomi returned to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited to see her.  The women could hardly believe they were seeing their longtime friend, Naomi, returning home.  It did not take them long to realize this wasn’t the same person who had left years before.  Naomi had suffered tragedy and lost her joy for life.  Naomi left seeking God and returned bitter towards God.

“Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded.  “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me.  I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty.  Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?” – Ruth 1:20-21

Naomi left Bethlehem during the time of a severe famine but she described herself has “full” at that time.  Her physical needs were suffering but she had her family and, therefore, joy.  She returned to Bethlehem with her physical needs met and the blessing of a loyal and virtuous daughter-in-law but she could not see beyond her pain to rejoice in what God had blessed her with.  She only saw what she was without.

How often does our praise turn into pity when tragedy strikes?  We struggle to understand why the same God who has blessed us so generously could allow heartache and pain to come into our lives.  We live in an imperfect world where death and disease are a reality, yet we blame God for not intervening and saving us from the worst pain we have ever felt.  

God saw the broken heart of Naomi and He was not done blessing her.  Through a “family redeemer”, God provided Ruth with a husband and a son.  Then the women of Bethlehem said to Naomi:

“Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family!  May this child be famous in Israel.  May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age.  For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!”

Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast.  And she cared for him as if he were her own.  The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!”  And they named him Obed.  He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David. – Ruth 4:14b-17

God knows the good things He has planned for us and our children.  From Naomi’s grandson would come the first King of Israel and then the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.  What a great reminder for us to TRUST GOD THROUGH THE TRAGEDIES – to let the hard times increase our faith and trust in the God who knows what is ahead and loves us enough to send His son to die on a cross for us – to become our ultimate Redeemer.

Praise the Lord, who has provided a Redeemer for all of us!

Today’s Reading:  Judges 13:24-16:31

The Incredible Hulk comes to mind when I read the story of this next judge for Israel.  Samson was strong like the Hulk and his biggest weakness was losing his temper.  When the Hulk’s blood pressure reached a certain level, or in times of extreme anger, he turned into this strong green creature.  One of the famous quotes from the television series I watched when I was a little girl was:  “Mr. McGee, don’t make me angry.  You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”

This quote comes to mind as I read the story of Samson because, I must admit, I’m not a big fan of this judge of Israel.  But God chose him before he was even born to be used by God to lead the people of Israel, so I have to see the good in Samson’s life, even though he comes across as more FULL OF HIMSELF than FULL OF THE SPIRIT.

When her son was born, she named him Samson.  And the Lord blessed him as he grew up.  And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him…His father and mother didn’t realize the Lord was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at the time. – Judges 13:24-25; 14:4

Samson might have been a little spoiled by his parents.  When a young Philistine woman caught his eye, he demanded his parents get this young woman for him.  When they tried to change his mind and choose an Israelite woman instead of a pagan Philistine woman, Samson demanded “Get her for me!  She looks good to me” (14:3b).  Samson’s SELFISH NATURE would be his downfall but God would be sure to accomplish His good through Samson’s temper tantrums and foolish behavior.

As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah.  At that moment the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands.  He did it easily as if it were a young goat….Later, when he returned to Timnah for the wedding, he turned off the path to look at the carcass of the lion.  And he found that a swarm of bees had made some honey in the carcass.  He scooped some of the honey into his hands and ate it along the way – Judges 14:5-6a, 8-9a

Samson was physically strong but HE WAS A PLAYER and his own games resulted in destruction. During his wedding celebration, he created a riddle related to the honey and the lion in order to gain material wealth for himself and brag about what he believed he had accomplished with his own strength.  He made a bet with the Philistine men in the wedding party, challenging them to solve his riddle.  When they could not, Samson’s bride tormented and nagged him until he shared the answer with her.  She in turn explained the riddle to the other men and Samson now owed them each the clothing he had hoped they would be giving him.  Instead of taking the loss himself, Samson went out and killed thirty men, taking their belongings and clothing to give to the thirty men he owed a prize.  

Furious with how this wedding celebration had ended, Samson went home to his parents and left his bride behind.  Later he returned to collect his bride but his father-in-law had given her in marriage to the best man.  In anger (more like a good old-fashioned temper tantrum), Samson tied the tails of 300 foxes together in pairs, attached lit torches to each pair, and set them loose in the Philistine grain fields, vineyards and olive groves (14:19-15:5).

When the Israelites heard of how Samson was attacking the Philistines, they asked him to stop.  Samson was picking a fight they were not prepared to finish for him so, in fear, they handed him over to the Philistines.  When Samson arrived at the camp, the Spirit of the Lord again came powerfully upon him.  He snapped the ropes, grabbed the jawbone of a recently killed donkey and killed 1,000 Philistines with it.  Then Samson cheered for himself:

“With the jawbone of a donkey, I’ve piled them in heaps!

With the jawbone of a donkey, I’ve killed a thousand men!” – Judges 15:16

Here is where I see Samson’s biggest problem.  He thinks HE is winning the battles.  He sees himself as the HERO in his stories, but he is missing who the true Hero is.  He does not recognize that his battles are won when the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him.  He thinks he is AVENGING himself but God is using this AVENGER to bring trouble to the Philistines, who were oppressing God’s people.

Samson judged Israel for 20 years during the time of the Philistine domination but He did not follow the laws of God.  Chapter 16 tells us of a night he spent with a Philistine prostitute – a night that ended with Samson tearing down the town gate of Gaza.  

Samson then fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah and he, THE PLAYER, began to play games with her.  Over and over again, Delilah would ask Samson what the source of his strength was.  He would give her a wrong answer and she would attempt to hand him over the Philistines.  Even though her lack of loyalty to him was obvious, Samson enjoyed the game and so he continued to give her wrong answers.  Delilah nagged and tormented Samson until he was sick to death of it (16:16) and Samson foolishly gave in to her.

“My hair has never been cut,” he confessed, “for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth.  If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else.” – Judges 16:17

And that is exactly what Samson became – weak and unable to save himself.  The PLAYER had been PLAYED. Delilah shaved his head and the Philistines captured him.  Samson thought the source of his strength was due to the presence of his hair, but his failure to acknowledge God in his life was really the reason he lost his strength.  His strength was never in his hair.  The Lord left Samson to suffer the consequence of his games.

When Samson realized the foolishness of his ways, he prayed to the Lord.  The Philistines had gouged Samson’s eyes out, leaving him a blind servant forced to grind grain in prison.  One day they brought him out as a source of entertainment and leaned him against the pillars of the temple.  Samson asked God to remember him again and to give him one more opportunity to destroy Israel’s enemy.  Pushing the two center pillars with the strength he now realized was from the Lord, Samson caused the temple to crash down on all the Philistine rulers, killing everyone in the temple including Samson (Judges 16:28-30).

Praise the Lord!  He has heard my cry for mercy.

The Lord is my strength and my shield.

I trust him with all my heart.

He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.

I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

The Lord gives his people strength. – Psalm 28:6-7-8a

Today’s Reading:  Judges 8:22-13:25

The Israelites were so excited about their mighty hero, Gideon, that they asked him to become their ruler or king.  Knowing God was the true Hero and King, Gideon denied their request.  God blessed Gideon with 70 sons.  

After Gideon passed away, the Israelites started worshiping false gods, once again forgetting who had rescued them from all their enemies.  Gideon’s son, Abimelech, revisited the idea of Israel wanting a ruler.  To make sure none of his brothers rose to the occasion, Abimelech had all but one of his brothers killed.  His youngest brother, Jothan, escaped and went into hiding.  Abimelech had the opportunity to be a HERO, but his greedy pride made him into a murderous VILLAIN instead (Judges 9).

More judges came and went for the people of God – Tola judged for 23 years and Jair for the next 22 years.  Again the people did evil in the eyes of the Lord and he turned them over to the Philistines and the Ammonites, who oppressed them for 18 years.  Next God used Jephthah, the son of a prostitute, to rescue the people of Israel, who had cried out in misery for God to rescue them again (Judges 11).

Next, Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel for 7 years and then Elon from the tribe of Zebulun judged Israel for 10 years.  Abdon son of Hillel judged Israel for 8 years and then the people of Israel again started sinning against God, so He handed them over to the Philistines for the next 40 years.  Again, God’s people needed a HERO to rescue them from their troubles.  

If you have ever seen the movie “The Amazing Spider-man”, perhaps you remember this famous quote from Peter’s Uncle Ben:

“Peter?  I know things have been difficult lately and I’m sorry about that.  I think I know what you’re feeling.  Ever since you were a little boy, you’ve been living with so many unresolved things.  Well, take it from an old man.  Those things send us down a road…they make us who we are.  And if anyone’s destined for greatness, it’s you, son.  You owe the world your gifts.  You just have to figure out how to use them and know that wherever they take you, we’ll always be here.  So, come on home, Peter.  You’re my hero…and I love you!”

Ben Parker saw that his nephew was special – that he had a larger purpose in life.  In Judges 13, God reveals to a husband and wife that they are about to have a son who will be born for a special purpose.  

In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah.  His wife was unable to become pregnant and they had no children.  The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son.  So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food.  You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut.  For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth.  He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.”  – Judges 13:2-7

She ran to her husband and told him all the angel had said.  Manoah prayed for God to send the man of God back so he could receive more instruction about this son who was to be born.  I love this portion of Scripture because it speaks to the heart of Manoah.  He was so thankful that God was going to bless him with a child that he wanted to be the perfect father to this child for whom God had a magnificent plan.  He inquired of God and God faithfully responded by sending the angel back to appear to Manoah and repeat all that he had said to Manoah’s wife.  Manoah responded in thanksgiving by offering to the Lord a grain offering and a burnt offering.

Then Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered it on a rock as a sacrifice to the Lord.  And as Manoah and his wife watched, THE LORD DID AN AMAZING THING.  As the flames from the altar shot up toward the sky, the angel of the Lord ascended in the fire.  When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell with their faces to the ground. – Judges 14:19-20

Lord, we inquire of you today – What do you want us to do in order to prepare the way for your plan?   How can we be the parent you have called us to be? Father God, we long to see you do AMAZING things for you are an AMAZING God!  As I’ve heard Beth Moore say – make your word a holy fascination to us and a flame leaping upward to its sacred source.  Be an all-consuming fire, Oh God!  We love you so much!  Amen.

Today’s Reading:  Judges 6-8:21

After Deborah and Barak led the Israelites to victory, there was peace in the land for forty years.  Then the Israelites began doing evil in the Lord’s sight, so he handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.  The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites found themselves hiding in caves and strongholds to protect themselves from the raiders, marauders and enemy hoarders that came through, devastating their crops and stealing their flocks.  Once the Israelites were reduced to starving, THEN they cried out to the Lord for help.  

Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree of Ophrah…Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites.  The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” – Judges 6:11-12

“Here I come to save the day!”  Well, that is what Mighty Mouse would have said but Gideon’s response was a little different.  Before he stepped into this new leadership position, he wanted proof from God.  When I read the dialogue between Gideon and the Lord, I am a little shocked by his bold accusations (“Where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? … The Lord has abandoned us…” 6:13) and his demand for proof from God (“If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me…” 6:17a).  Then I think of times when I have argued and negotiated with God and I begin to relate a little to this not-so-mighty hero and the inner conflict with which he struggled.

God did give Gideon the proof he asked for and Gideon, humbly realizing what he had demanded of the Lord, built an altar and named it Yahweh-Shalom – which means “the Lord is peace” (6:24).  Now Gideon had peace in his heart that he was truly being called by God, but he still struggled with fear.  God told him to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and break his Asherah pole.  Gideon obeyed but he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of the family.  God protected Gideon from their angry response and then something incredible happened in Gideon’s life.

Then the Spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon. – Judges 6:34a

Now filled with the mighty Spirit, Gideon blew a ram’s horn and sent messengers out, calling all of Israel’s warriors to come together to fight the Midianites.  Then Gideon went back to his natural tendency and spiritual weakness – he asked God for proof that he was truly going to use Gideon to rescue Israel as God had promised He would do.  A great lesson for Gideon and a good reminder for me today is that God ALWAYS keeps His promises.  We never have to ask him to repeat himself or prove His faithfulness.  

“…I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight.  If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.”  And that is just what happened.  When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a bowlful of water.

Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request.  Let me use the fleece for one more test.  This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.”  So that night God did as Gideon asked.  The fleece was dry in the morning but the ground was covered in dew. – Judges 6:37b-40

Our reluctant hero was battling insecurity and our gracious God indulged him by responding, just as He so generously confirms His call to us when He knows we need confirmation of His presence.  Oh, what a wonderful God we serve! But God wasn’t done teaching Gideon.  Gideon was asking God to show him HOW He would help Gideon rescue the Israelites, but God was going to show Gideon WHO would do the rescuing – that God, Himself, would be the hero of this story.  

When all the warriors gathered together, God told Gideon there were too many.  If He allowed that many Israelites to go into battle, they would take the credit for the victory, boasting that they saved themselves by their own strength. So He sent home everyone who was timid or afraid and 22,000 men left, leaving an army of 10,000.  

Next God told Gideon to watch how the men went down to the river to take a drink.  If they cupped the water with their hands to drink, keeping their eyes up, they would be in one group; if they knelt down and placed their mouths directly in the river, they would be in the second group.  This last group was sent home, leaving only 300 wise and alert warriors for Gideon to lead into battle.

God was ready for Gideon to move forward but, knowing Gideon so well, God allowed him to seek proof one more time.  God told Gideon that, if he was still afraid, he could go down close to the Midianite camp and listen to their campfire conversations.  Gideon took God up on the offer and came back with confidence.  He split the remaining 300 men into 3 groups of 100, handing each of them a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it.  They surrounded the camp and, on Gideon’s count, they blew the horns and broke the clay jars, surrounding the enemy camp with noise and fire.  God caused confusion among the Midianites and they began to fight each other (7:9-22).  

And Gideon saw clearly that God was still performing miracles among the Israelites, just as He had for their ancestors and just as He continues to do today!

What mighty act is God calling you to participate in today?  Do you have a “Here I come to save the day!” attitude or are you keeping your eyes up, watching for God to do something mighty through and around you?  

Today’s Reading:  Judges 3:31-5:31

So, if the book of Judges can be compared to a comic book full of superhero stories, our next hero is Shamgar son of Anath.  God used this man to rescue Israel next.  The writer of Judges does not give us much information about Shamgar except to say that he once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.  I had no idea what that was but, thanks to my Google search, I found out it is a long sharp stick used to prod animals.  Sounds like Shamgar had some mean NINJA moves!  Now, that’s quite a claim to fame!

But the Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight and he turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor and his commander Sisera, who ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for 20 years.  Scripture says:  Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help (Judges 4:3).  Did it take them 20 years to cry out to the Lord for help or 20 years for Him to answer their cry for help?  The way it is written it seems like there was a long delay before they even asked.

Lord, forgive me for all the times I try to handle things on my own for a while before I finally give up and ask You for help!  I do not want to delay my recognition that I am helpless on my own.  I KNOW I need you every day, in every situation!

The next average-person-turned-superhero is Deborah – the Bible’s Wonder Woman.  This is the first time we hear in Scripture of a woman placed in a formal leadership position.  She would sit under the Palm of Deborah and people would come to her for judgment.  Obviously God had given her the gift of wisdom and trusted her with great responsibility.  Deborah must have also strategically positioned herself in God’s presence because she heard from Him.  He gave her a message to give to Barak, calling him to lead a group of 10,000 warriors into battle to set the people free of their current oppression.  

One thing that stands out to me about this co-hero, Barak, is that he put conditions on his obedience to God’s call on his life.  He would go into battle, just as God asked, but only if Deborah went with him.  Does this hit close to home for anyone else?  Yes, Lord, I’ll do what you ask as long as…  I’ll obey if you…  I want to trust you, but…

Lord, forgive me for all the times I have put conditions on my obedience to your call.  Forgive me for my selfish desire to be comfortable while following your plan.  Give me the strength to always say “yes” and never “yes, as long as…”

“Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you.  But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” – Judges 4:9

At first I thought Deborah was talking about herself, but as we read on we see that the battle was finished by a woman named Jael.  Although Jael was not in leadership and was what we would maybe now call a “stay at home mom”, God strategically positioned her to do great things.  He saw worth and value in a woman whom the current culture did not value.

When Barak led the warriors into battle, God caused Sisera and his warriors to go into a panic.  Sisera leaped from his chariot and escaped on foot to the home of Jael, because her husband was a friend of King Jabin.  She invited him into the tent.  He asked for water and she gave him milk.  He laid down, exhausted from his flight, and she covered him with a blanket while she took watch for anyone approaching.  

As soon as he fell into a deep sleep, Jael took action.  She saw that God had strategically positioned her and she was up for this opportunity to let God do SUPER THINGS through her.  I believe God must have given Jael some extra strength as she picked up the tent peg and hammer, walked across the tent, and placed the end of the peg on Sisera’s temple.  I believe God must have given her extra courage when she drove the tent peg into his skull, killing him and finishing the battle God had called the Israelites into.  

So on that day Israel saw GOD DEFEAT Jabin, the Canaanite king.  And from that time on Israel became stronger and stronger against King Jabin until they finally destroyed him. – Judges 4:23-24

Deborah and Barak led the people of Israel in celebration of this victory.  They recognized that when God marched across the battlefield, the earth trembled; when God was present, the mountains quaked.  The people of Israel were living in fear until Deborah “arose as a mother for Israel” (5:7).  I love it!  The description of this superhero was “mother” – perfect!  My mother is definitely a superhero in my eyes so I get this connection.  

The song of celebration continues:

Listen to the village musicians gathered at the watering holes.

They recount the righteous victories of the Lord and the victories of his villagers in Israel.  

THEN the people of the Lord marched down to the city gates. – Judges 5:11

What a great idea – what a great example!  Before entering into a battle God has called us to fight, let’s look back and remind ourselves of the many victories God has performed in the past.  The God of our PAST struggles is the God of our CURRENT battles and our FUTURE victories.

Lord, we strategically position ourselves in your presence this morning.   Fill us with your strength and your courage.  We are ready to do what you have asked us to do.  Lord, thank you for being the source of victory in our life.  We trust you and we obediently follow you today.  Amen.

Today’s Reading:  Judges 1 – 3:30

I love superheroes!  Maybe it comes from the cartoons I watched every Saturday morning growing up or from my love of Wonder Woman, but I enjoy the plot of a superhero coming in and saving the day.  Therefore, when I read the book of Judges, I can easily see it as a comic book of superhero stories.  The people get themselves into a mess and God sends a superhero (or judge) to come in and save the day!

Now these superheroes are not perfect.  After all, even though Superman was “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound,” he did have this aversion to green Kryptonite.  He went from strong & powerful to pained & nauseous in the presence of this substance.

The heroes in the book of Judges do not have superpowers like Superman, but they are flawed like he was.  They are just regular people willing to let God do something with their lives.  God called them into leadership and filled them with His Spirit so that God could rescue His people through them.  The true Superhero in this book is God Himself and He is looking for regular people who are willing to let Him do something amazing and heroic with their lives.

When the tribes of Israel went to conquer the land and defeat the Canaanites, they did not fully obey the Lord’s command.  After all we have learned about the Israelites over the last several weeks, this comes as no surprise.  Most of the tribes failed to drive out the people living in the land, even though God’s command was to completely destroy them.  Because of their disobedience, God declared He would no longer drive out the people living there but would allow them to stay and be thorns in the sides of the Israelites and a constant temptation with their false gods (Judges 2:2-3).  The presence of these foreigners would be a test of whether or not the Israelites loved God enough to obey the commands He had given their ancestors through Moses. (3:4)

This first generation wept at their sin but the next generation did evil in the Lord’s sight and served the images of Baal.  In His anger, the Lord allowed raiders to come in and steal their possessions.  He turned them over to their enemies (2:10-14).  After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, God’s plan was to give them a peaceful and beautiful land but, because of their disobedience, they would instead struggle against “villains” – needing rescued over and over again.  

The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot about the Lord their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles.  Then the Lord burned with anger against Israel and he turned them over to [their enemies]…But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a rescuer [superhero] to save them…The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge. – Judges 3:1-10

First there was Caleb’s nephew, Othniel through whom God gave the Israelites victory over King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim after 8 years of suffering (don’t you wish you had that name?!!)  Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and King Eglon of Moab controlled Israel for 18 years.  When they cried out to the Lord, He gave them their second hero or judge – Ehud.  Now here’s a superhero story for you:

His name was Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin [I did not understand this detail at first but it makes sense later, I promise].  The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab.  So Ehud made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing.  He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.

After delivering the payment, Ehud started home with those who had helped carry the tribute.  But when Ehud reached the stone idols near Gilgal, he turned back.  He came to Eglon and said, “I have a secret message for you.”

So the king commanded his servants, “Be quiet!” and he sent them all out of the room.

Ehud walked over to Eglon, who was sitting alone in the cool upstairs room.  And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you!”  As King Eglon rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand [see what I mean, surprise attack], pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly.  The dagger went so deep that the handle disappeared beneath the king’s fat.  So Ehud did not pull out the dagger, and the king’s bowels emptied [yuck!].  Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine [double yuck!!]. – Judges 3:15b-23

Perhaps God is calling us to do SUPER things with His help.  Perhaps today you will have a SUPERHERO MOMENT.  The trick is to remember who the real Superhero truly is.  In the moment I see myself as Wonder Woman, I forget about the Wonderful Counselor.  When I believe myself to be Mighty Mouse, I forget who is the Almighty God!  When I start believing I am like a Marvel Hero, I take my focus off my Marvelous Lord!  There is only one Savior in this world and His name is Jesus Christ!  To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Today’s Reading:  Joshua 7-24

A covenant is a formal or serious agreement between two people or two parties.  God had entered into a covenant RELATIONSHIP with the people of Israel.  The agreement was that the people of Israel would obey God out of love for Him and He would be with them and bless them.  If they chose disobedience, there would be curses instead.  God affirmed to Joshua that his success was dependent on listening obediently to God for his every move.

Obedience + Love + RELATIONSHIP = Presence + Blessings + Success

After their victory at Jericho, God gave specific instructions to NOT take any of the things from Jericho but to destroy everything.  If anyone disobeyed, it would bring trouble to the entire camp.  A man named Achan saw a beautiful robe, 200 silver coins and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound.  He wanted them so much that he took them (7:21).  God had supplied Achan’s every need but Achan was focused more on what he wanted but didn’t have, instead of on all God had provided.  

Disobedience + Selfishness = Curses + Defeat

Unaware of this hidden sin, Joshua led a group of 3000 warriors to the next town, but they were defeated and lost 36 of their men.  God’s people were so confident that God would bless them and give them victory, yet God did not work as they expected.  The people were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events and their courage melted away.  They tore their clothes in dismay and bowed down to the ground asking God “Why?”  

I relate to this description of fear this morning.  When I hear that a strong believer in the faith dies of cancer or loses their battle against disease or injury, my world is rocked and I find myself scared.  What happened to the first equation?  I tend to live with this confidence that nothing bad will happen to us and then, when I see something bad happen to someone else, I find myself in dismay – paralyzed with fear, courage melting away.  I fall to my knees and ask God to strengthen my faith and to protect my family.  I long to trust God in spite of the pain and suffering all around.  If I’ve learned anything from Joshua, it is to BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS – not to fear but to recognize God’s presence with me and before me.  I have learned to hold tightly to God in all situations.

When Joshua and the people came to the Lord, seeking an answer for their defeat, God revealed that the covenant relationship had been broken.  Achan was found guilty – his sin not only destroyed him and the 36 warriors who died in battle, but also his entire family.  His selfish decision affected those he loved most, left 36 families grieving the loss of their soldier and brought trouble to the entire camp.  

Now that the sin was confessed and taken care of, God renewed His covenant and helped the Israelites find victory of the town of Ai, wiping out everyone and everything.  Joshua took the time to read the blessing and curses laid out in God’s covenant, reminding the people of the importance of obeying God (8:34-35).  In spite of this renewed covenant, the people of Israel still had a lesson to learn.  They made a decision and entered into a peace treaty with the Gibeonites without consulting the Lord (9:14).  Their foolishness, like that of Achan’s, reaped negative consequences.

So why does God want us to inquire of Him?  RELATIONSHIP – it is evident even in the Old Testament that God wants a relationship with each of us.  He does not want us to live independently, but to inquire of Him – to call on Him.  And He will listen!  He does not want us to live in fear, but in faith.  God repeats His Joshua 1:9 instructions in Joshua 10:25, just like He reminds us again today:

“Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua told his men.  “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS, for the Lord is going to do this…” – Joshua 10:25

When five Amorite kings united in hopes to attack Gibeon and defeat Israel, the Lord confirmed to Joshua that he would give them victory.  They called on God and He listened to them.

On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel.  He said,

“Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.”  

So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies….There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a prayer.  Surely the Lord fought for Israel that day!  – Joshua 10:12-14

Not only will God listen to us, He will respond.  Because God was fighting for them, the promised land of Canaan was conquered and divided between the tribes.  Joshua knew the source of his victories because he had a relationship with God, the Victor.  Joshua did as he was told, carefully obeying all the commands that the Lord had given Moses (11:15).  He followed God wholeheartedly (14:8) and, at the end of his life, he had these words of advice for God’s people.  Listen carefully for all the words that speak of RELATIONSHIP:

“Love the Lord your God, walk in his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” – Joshua 22:5b

“Hold tight to God, your God, just as you’ve done up to now” (Joshua 23:8, The Message).

“So be very careful to love the Lord your God…Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord has come true.  Not a single one has failed!” (Joshua 23:11,14).

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly…Choose today whom you will serve…But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-15)

One of the last things Joshua told the people was to turn their hearts to the Lord, yielding to Him (24:23).  Or, as The Message interprets it:  Say an unqualified Yes to God!

Unqualified.  Not “Yes, IF…”  Not “Yes, BUT…”  Not “Yes, I will PROBABLY…”  Not, “Yes, I MIGHT…”

Thank you for your faithfulness and your daily presence in our lives – for this incredible RELATIONSHIP.  Lord, cause our love for you to grow so that our hearts naturally desire to obey you, to trust you, to follow you.  Help us to be content with what you have provided.  Today we choose to serve you and you only.  Today we say an unqualified YES to you!

Today’s reading:  Joshua 1-6

In many ways, Moses was a mentor for Joshua.  Joshua served faithfully under the leadership of Moses and Moses took the time to teach him along the way.  Moses would not be entering the Promised Land but God allowed him to be a part by investing in the future of His people, by training his successor.  It was kind of like an apprenticeship or internship.  God had instructed Moses:  “But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.” (Deuteronomy 3:28)

Moses was now gone and Joshua heard from God firsthand, making it clear that this was his God-appointed moment – that God had called him and would be with him.

“…the time has come for you to lead…I promise you what I promised Moses:  ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you…No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live.  For I will be with you as I was with Moses.  I will not fail you or abandon you.

Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people…Be strong and VERY courageous.  Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you.  Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left.  Then you will be successful in everything you do.  Study this Book of Instruction continually.  Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.  Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.  This is my command – be strong and very courageous!  Do not be afraid or discouraged.  For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:2-9

That last verse is one of my daughter’s favorite verses.  She learned it at a very young age, while participating in children’s Bible quizzing.  She has spoken that verse out loud many times to remind her of God’s command.  She has written it on her mirror and even sang the song she learned in quizzing – “Have I not commanded you, be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified.  Don’t be discouraged.  For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9.”  

My daughter is a risk taker in so many ways, loving the idea of adventure and fun, but she also has to overcome anxiety and fear.  I think we can all relate to those moments when you want to follow God with all your heart but it takes overcoming fear to really embrace your faith.  I am guessing Joshua knows a lot about this battle between fear and faith.

Joshua was commissioned by God with very specific instructions:

• Be strong and courageous, I am with you
• Be obedient

FAITH AND FEAR cannot coexist.  God wanted Joshua’s attention and his focus.  He wanted him to study and be familiar with God’s law and listen obediently to God for his every move.  Joshua’s success was dependent on this.

Joshua’s faith and obedience were tested in the first city they came to.  God told Joshua – you have never been this way before, SO FOLLOW ME for tomorrow I will do AMAZING things among you (3:3-5).  

The Lord told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of the Israelites.  They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses.  Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant:  ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’” – Joshua 3:7-8

TEST #1

The Jordan River was at flood stage and, in order to follow God, Joshua had to cross the Jordan.  FEAR OR FAITH?  God gave Joshua very clear instructions and told him to obey with strength and courage.  They were to step into the rushing waters with confidence in the Lord.  It wasn’t until their feet touched the Jordan that the river parted and dry ground appeared in front of them.  They chose faith and not fear, and experienced many AMAZING things just as God had promised (Joshua 3:15-17).

TEST #2

Jericho was “tightly shut up” and God gave Joshua specific instructions.  They were to march around the town once a day for six days.  God’s people were told to not say a word until they were given the instruction.  This was not a sneak attack but rather a 6-day display in front of their enemies.  FEAR OR FAITH?  They chose to be patient and obey and they experienced AMAZING things (6:2-20).  On the seventh day, they marched around the town seven times with the priests blowing the horns.  When they gave one final long blast, all the people began to shout as loud as they could, just as the Lord had instructed Joshua.  

Suddenly the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. – Joshua 6:20b

Do you want to see God do AMAZING things in your life as much as I do?  We have a choice – FEAR OR FAITH.  What will it be?  When moments appear today that are obviously God-ordained appointments, let’s step forward in faith and obedience.  Let’s be strong and VERY courageous!

Today’s Reading:  Deuteronomy 31-34, Psalm 18

Today we finish up the Pentateuch – the first five books of the Bible.  This last month has given us a great opportunity to picture God’s relationship with humankind – from the Garden of Eden to crossing over into the Promised Land.  He has clearly laid out how to enter into a covenant relationship and what will break that covenant relationship.  We have a choice.  If we truly love God, obedience will flow from that love relationship.

“When you go out to fight your enemies and face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid.  The Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, is with you.” – Deuteronomy 20:1

Moses told the people that he would not be going with them into the promised land but that God would be with them.  In fact, not only was God going with them, He was also going before them.   As he handed leadership over to Joshua, he gave them words of encouragement to be strong and courageous.

“The Lord will destroy the nations living in the land, just as he destroyed Sihon and Og…So be strong and courageous!  Do not be afraid and do not panic before them.  For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you.  He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous!  For you will lead these people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them…Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you.  He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” – Deuteronomy 31:4-8

Then the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun with these words:  “Be strong and courageous, for you must bring the people of Israel into the land I swore to give them.  I will be with you.” – Deut. 31:23

The reason Moses would not be going with them into Canaan was because he did not fully obey God’s instructions.  When God told him to speak to the rock to make water flow, Moses struck the rock instead.  God gave Moses his own “rock song” to sing and teach the people in his last moments – a song that speaks of a different kind of ROCK. The song warned the people that they would again abandon God and God would again respond to their disobedience. His hope was that they would know their fate and choose life instead of death.

“Listen, O heavens, and I will speak!

Hear, O earth, the words that I say!

Let my teaching fall on you like rain; let my speech settle like dew.

Let my words fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants.

I will proclaim the name of the Lord; how glorious is our God!

He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.

Everything he does is just and fair.

He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!

“But they have acted corruptly toward him; when they act so perversely, are they really his children?…

They abandoned the God who made them; they made light of the Rock of their salvation…

The Lord saw this and drew back, provoked to anger by his own sons and daughters.

He said, ‘I will abandon them; then see what becomes of them.

For they are a twisted generation, children without integrity…

Israel is a senseless nation; the people are foolish, without understanding.

Oh, that they were wise and could understand this!

Oh, that they might know their fate!

How could one person chase a thousand of them, and two people put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the Lord had given them up?

But the rock of their enemies is not like our Rock, as even they recognize…

Indeed, the Lord will give justice to his people, and he will change his mind about his servants, when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free.

Then he will ask, ‘Where are their gods, the rocks they fled to for refuge?…

Look now; I myself am he!

There is no other god but me!… – Deut. 32:1-5,15b,19-20,28-31,36-39

Then Moses went up to Mount Nebo where he could see all of Canaan to the east.  The Lord showed him the land he had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Then Moses died, just as the Lord had said he would, and the Lord buried him in a valley but to this day no one knows the exact place.  Moses was strong and his eyesight was clear when he died (34:1-7).  The same Moses who had argued with God when called, who questioned his own ability to be used by God, and who had a moment of trusting more in his own strength than in God’s word – this Moses had an intimate relationship with God like no other man had ever had.

There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.  The Lord sent him to perform all the miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt against Pharoah, and all his servants, and his entire land.  With mighty power, Moses performed terrifying acts in the sight of all Israel. – Deut. 34:10-12

Thank you for being a personal and intimate God!  Thank you for your grace and mercy that picks us up when we fall and gives us new opportunities to be used for your purposes.  Father God, we praise you for your steady and faithful presence in our lives. May we see moments today when you make us strong and courageous, trusting in the Rock that goes before us and is with us.  May it be said of us when we die that we had a personal relationship with the Rock of our Salvation!  Amen.

I love you, Lord;

   you are my strength.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;

   my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.

He is my shield, the power that saves me,

   and my place of safety. – Psalm 18:1-2