Blame it on… someone!
Right now, we’re looking at the very human pattern that emerges when we confront challenging times in our lives, a pattern clear in the Old Testament book of Judges. We all tend to think our experiences are unique. Even though we’ve all heard that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. So let’s listen closely to the stories of the Judges. And remember: the Judges are heroes, champions that God raised up to save Israel – don’t think Wapner, Judy or Joe Brown!
Last week we looked at the cycle that featured Gideon. We explored his doubts and saw that often the first step in our downward spiral is often feeling abandoned by God, questioning His presence in our lives.
We saw that if we want to escape the Judges cycle of despair before we slide downward, we must remember who God is.
But if we choose not to remember God, what does slipping further down the spiral look like?
This week, we’re going to explore the story of Jephthah in Judges 11. You’ve probably never heard of Jephthah before; after reading his story you’ll see why. But compare Jephthah’s story to Gideon’s. Notice how much less present God is. Notice how much less familiar with God and God’s values the Israelites are.
How does that distance contribute to Jephthah’s terrible choice?
And what does that teach us about our own tendencies? Join us this week as Jason Robertson joins us to share his insights!
