“The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.”
Judges 6:1 NIV
“When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.””
Judges 6:7-10 NIV
“The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’”
Judges 7:2 NIV
Yesterday, during my #lumchtimedevotions the Lord led me to read about Gideon. But not just about Gideon. Also about the fickleness “ prone to wander, Lord I know it, from the God I love” ( says the hymn writer) of the love that Israel had for, not just the Living God, but the God who “ rescued them from the hands of all their oppressors”.
Then this morning, as I prayed the first of three early morning prayers by Jacob Boheme, I was reminded that it was not my own strength and good fortune that kept me safe during the long dark hours of the night. But God Himself! And yet again. And again. For a very long time as I am big man now.
ON WAKING
Living Lord, you have watched over me, and put your hand on my head, during the long dark hours of night.
Your holy angels have protected me from all harm and pain. To you Lord I owe life itself. Continue to watch over me and bless me during the hours of day.
Comment: Then the thought came to me that it must be a big challenge to be a politician and a Christian. For the natural tendency, politically sensible, and the received wisdom of the age, is for the them to claim paternity for every good thing that happens in the nation and in the lives of their constituents. And in fact if they can declare “ never done before in the history of this country”, all the better – presumably in the eyes of the voters. Of course that kind of mindset runs completely contrary to the message from Gideon’s encounter with the Lord. That whatever happens, and not only in difficult circumstances, but in good times also “ Give God the glory”.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost! But it didn’t end there. For the same temptation can and who knows has affected the ordained and the leaders, the Bishops and Overseers.
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.”
Acts 20:28 NIV
I close with two thoughts . One from the third prayer by Jacob Boheme. At the very end!
ON GOING TO WORK
……………….Above all, remind me constantly that I have nothing except what you give me, and can do nothing except what you enable me to do.
The other, a well known and often quoted, shared in this context, verse of a great hymn:
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
Lord we beseech thee to renew thy church beginning with those who know they bring nothing to the table but depend solely on your grace and mercy; Lord we beseech thee, you only who know the state of our hearts, to renew the church so that the church may renew the nation where “ Jah Kingdom goes to waste”. And his momma cries
Listen carefully to the words of the song, one of my favorites, along with Etana’s #wrongaddress on how and why young men grow up in the ghetto, unattended by care and love, die violently. Because we as a nation and as church are too strong and wise, and don’t understand the power of evil. In the ghetto! And in “ polite company “. And so The Philistines, The Median of this age, are upon us, and we too like the children of Israel need to humble ourselves and cry out to the God who has delivered us before, and will do so again. Cry out for mercy. With a broken and contrite heart O God you will not despise. From top to bottom in the church. As we celebrate Jesus! And stop looking for Samson! The received wisdom of this age.
In obedience
Shalom
LWJ
danielgodsurelywilldeliver 