Accordingly and Appropriately

4.3.2010

Judges 18:17 17 And the five men who had gone to scout out the land went up and entered and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war. ESV

If there is any word to describe the closing chapters of the Book of Judges, it’s bizarre. This is a collection of several accounts of very strange behavior for the chosen people who we called out of Egypt by God, given the Law through Moses and led into the Promised Land by Joshua. How soon and how far they wandered away from the life God intended for them.

Without God we are left only with the option of grasping any advantage we think we can obtain in order to survive. Without God wisdom and reason go out the window; there is no law, no right, no wrong; only what everyone thinks is best for them. And more often than not, their think is different from ours…

Paul teaches us in Romans 8, “…but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” (v5). So by the Spirit of Christ I am to walk accordingly and appropriately to the leading of the Holy Spirit – that’s the essence of the life with God. His blessing flow from there.

Today I have the option of walking with God and keeping in step with the Holy Spirit or I have the option of living my life on my own at whatever cost to others and with whatever advantage I think I can can grasp. I’m tired of option B; it’s gotten me nowhere.

Father in Heaven,

Thank You for the honesty in the history of the chosen people. Thank You for the frankness of all that is exposed – including their bizarre behavior. May I walk this day according to Your Spirit and live my life appropriately as Your servant and ambassador – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.