“Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight…The Israelites were in great distress. Finally, they cried out to the Lord for help…And he was grieved by their misery.”
Judges 10:6, 9-10, 16
Israel’s story was repetitive. In fact, Judges could be summarized in this sentence that appears multiple times, “Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight.”
AGAIN…to a Father who loves His children, that word brings grief. Again, HIS special treasures turn from Him to worship idols. Again, HIS beloved children fall prey to cruelty from enemies they did not evict from the land. Again, they are in great distress, and again, they cry to the Lord for help. For hundreds of years, the same cycle was repeated, again and again.
If God did not love, God would not grieve. But God DOES love, and so God grieves…over YOUR cycles. God knows you want to follow His ways but keep getting sidetracked. He watches you fall prey to enemies who torment your mind, those lies you have not yet evicted. But God is not mad at you…He is your Father. Of course, He is grieved by your misery… but He waits patiently to hear your cry for help.
Never be afraid to cry out again. Look how many times He rescued the Israelites! Your Father will always come running, and with HIS help, you will break the cycle. And besides that, your cry for help will change His grieving heart to a joyful heart…for YOU are HIS special treasure!
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