My Father, the Forgiving

Judges 10

Judges is a violent book where Your people can't do anything that You ask them to. Which is ironic because it seems that You overlook lots of things for them and only ask one. You ask that they will serve You over any other god. And Judges is so straight-forward about how that turns out. It is actually the type of thing that I sometimes make fun of as the prosperity gospel, but as a whole, the community is way better off when they are serving You. And they are pretty much in slavery when they are not serving You.

And You still really only ask that one thing.

And I still haven't learned how to consistently do it.

Busyness is the blame of the Christmas season. I serve the god of busyness. Sometimes the god I serve is the god of family. Sometimes the god of work. Sometimes the god of health. Sometimes the god of finance. Sometimes the god of food. Sometimes the god of leisure. Sometimes the god of laziness. Sometimes You.

Isn't that just what these people did so long ago. The nations around Israel used to do as well. They had gods (focuses, practices, rituals) for all the things that they wanted to go well in their lives. Gods for crops, rain, sons and daughters, sun, moon, sea, and stars. And time after time You said, "I am that god!"

The LORD my God, the LORD is one.

Forgive me for pursuing other gods, other rituals, other practices. Unite my life under Your oneness. Forgive me as You did the Israelites, take to heart my confession, look on me with Your favor.

And above all, draw me to Your side.