Look around at our world today. Does it resemble the days of long, long ago? The terrain and the everyday setting we live in are different. The conveniences we use as part of daily routine would not be recognizable to those who lived in the day of Deborah. Our means of transportation differ vastly, as do the appliances and other amenities we can’t live without. But, our hearts are the same. Our human desires and yearnings are similar.
I wonder how many times is our behavior is deserving of a comparable comment like the lines we read over and over again. “…the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the LORD.” (Judges 4:1) Examining my own past I shudder at the reality of all the times I would be deserving of this same statement.
So, what do we do about this? How do we change if, looking back, we see the same unfaithful, despicable conduct repeating throughout each generation? Recognizing the seriousness of sin is the first step toward removing it from our lives. In recovery circles, step 10 says, “We continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.” This step is a key concept for change.
By examining my actions each evening before closing my eyes for sleep, I can stay on top of my actions and motives. By confessing my shortcomings on a daily basis and asking God to forgive and to change me will help with tomorrow’s outcome. God works on us every time we allow Him access to our hearts. Like the Israelites, we are given opportunity after opportunity to do the next right thing.
Read Judges 4 here
Listen to Judges 4 here
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