This chapter showed me how much God loves us and how much he hates seeing us suffer. Despite the disobedience and abandonment of the Israelites, God still showed his mercy to his people when they cried out for his help after punishing them for their sins. But before he could do that, he had to see that they were sincere in their repentance and that they not only speak of it but prove it through their actions. The Israelites did not merely ask for God's forgiveness but were steadfast in their confession and destroyed all the idols/gods they were worshiping besides God. They submitted to the point where they laid their lives down at his feet and said in verse 15: "do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now". They realized that they'd rather throw themselves at the mercy of God than be left in misery of their sins. Ultimately, only God knows whether we are genuine or not.
I guess God just wanted the Israelites to understand that he's all and everything they needed. They recognized, eventually, that the other gods they were worshiping had no power whatsoever to save them. The same applies to us, we have to realize that at the end of the day, it's only God who has all the resources necessary to solve every problem we are faced with. And it's all up to us - if we let him into our lives and allow him to do to us what he will. I realized that when we are faced with difficulties and are in the verge of giving up, it's not "lazy" or "wrong" of us to leave it up to God. It's not like we didn't try. Yes, it is our responsibility to do everything we can to make things right on our end, however, us being mere humans, we can't really control what happens beyond. And whenever we feel like it's out of our control, it is acceptable for us to turn to God and pray that he will take us wherever he wants to take us and trust that we are in good hands as he has a plan for each of us.
Hey KIM!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! :) I like the 2nd paragraph best and also the end. Especially how it's okay to feel helpless and rely on God to do what needs to be changed. I'm sure we're always going to feel that in our lives, being helpless and unable to make the things we want happen.
It ties in to my last post too! That even though it's true that He asks us to give everything up for Him, it's just as true that He knows there are limits to what we can do, and the most important thing we can do is rely on Him to change us enough so that we actually can Him our everything! :)
Thanks for the post! Hehehe!
Nice job Kim. =)
ReplyDeleteWas thinking something similar a few weeks (months?) ago during bible study... how I ridiculous it seemed for the Israelites to keep going back to their idols after God came through for them. Not only that, but I'm pretty sure it was the SAME idols! Then it hit me - I'm the same way. We're all guilty of idol worship, and strangely enough, they tend to remain either exactly the same, or at the very least, eerily similar.
Just my random $.02 to add
if only i can "facebook" like the posts here. hehe
ReplyDeleteThank you! :) Im glad you guys could relate and get what I was trying to say. I've never blogged before and the thought of it scares me cos I never know what to write...
ReplyDeleteBut yeah Leanne, it still is a new concept for me to never be afraid to ask God for help and the fact that He wants us to ask for His help. I guess it will always be a challenge for me, as well as the and I'm still learning :P
@Jon, I think I remember you mentioning something like that a few weeks (months?) ago too!! Leanne also mentioned at this bible study that "worshiping idols" isn't just about those other gods that we usually read about in Judges, it could simply be with our love for money, or anything we really really value more than we really should. I just never thought of it that way.
Isn't it challenging as well, to make sure to think of God first and foremost instead of as a last resort (as the Israelites did).. Haha just a thought :P
and Bel!! I felt challenged. So i tweaked around and added a "facebook like" to our blog!!!
Wow we have some pro bloggers here.. :) thanks for the very interesting posts guys :D
ReplyDeleteI can relate and agree with the things that you said here, but the key for me that I just want to raise up is when you said that "it's all up to us - if we let him into our lives and allow him to do to us what he will". So true! How many times have we let ourselves miss out on God's grace and will in our lives? We suffer and get disciplined sometimes because we just let ourselves get in the way. Just like the Israelites, we wait too long to turn to God and realize we can't do it on our own. God is not our last resort. I know I have a lot to learn about this..
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Rev 3:20. Jesus is knocking and waiting.. All we need is to invite Him in. He does not force His way, but He is there when we are ready to turn to Him and open the door. He wants to have fellowship and a relationship with us. By doing so, we can learn to live with the promises and will He has for our lives.
I find that I just need to be constantly reminded and be aware to invite God in.. Especially when I still, just like the Israelites, keep going back to the same things (excuses, distractions, weakness,..) that keep me from Him.
I'd also like to add that it's BECAUSE we tried doing it ourselves that we can truly give it up to Him. Only at that point of devastating defeat can we finally say, "You know what, God.. I need You."
ReplyDeleteYou can't really give up anything significant without fully understanding what it means to you. And that my friends, is why it hurts. :)
kev, that's what the book i lent you basically said! among other things. :) the book you haven't been reading. Haha.
ReplyDeleteHahahahha yeeeaaaahhhhhhhh >_>
ReplyDeleteI totally agree Kev!! Been there, done that, i guess?
ReplyDelete