Being your own Boss can destroy the end product

Scripture Read: Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Application: As we begin to spend some time in Judges we do need to set some context. This verse will be the sad truth that is repeated over and over again. The reality it communicates must be a part of our conscious thought every day. When we choose to walk in our own strength and in the direction we desire, we will repeat the same mistakes Israel did in her history. First we need to look back and understand how close they were to God, so we will never be foolish enough to think this could not happen to us!

In Joshua 24, Joshua reviews the nations history:

In verse 13 the statement of how God's grace was upon Israel is made.  ‘I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are eating of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’

Israel did not do anything to deserve the land - it was a gift from God. Then Joshua follows with that great statement that we all know in verse 15 - “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

The people all verbally claim they will follow the Lord - but what is so interesting is that in verse 23 Joshua gives the formula that would lead to that: 23 “Now therefore, put away the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

Notice there is a twofold action - they are to separate but in boths directions. They must "put away the foreign gods" and at the same time "incline their hearts to the Lord". This is great counsel for us also. We need to separate from that which is sin, but not stop there. We must move toward that which is righteous! This is not the action that is taken much of the time, we move away from sin, but then just kind of float. What we fail to understand is that if we are not proactive in our spirit to move toward righteous living our flesh will open the back door for sin to once again gain control of our lives.

The Israelites talked big, but as we will see in Judges, their actions were lacking follow through and they paid a terrible price for it. We must guard ourselves from making the same mistake.

Meditation Questions: Since you began a relationship with God, can you see sins that no longer are in your life? Have you seen yourself replace that new areas of your life with works of righteousness? What does your answer show? Is your testimony more about what you don’t do anymore, or about what God has led you to become? What does your answer show you? Have you ever gone before the Lord and told Him that you desire Him to be the “Boss” in everything in your life? Based on your answer; do you need to do it? Do you need to reaffirm it? Do you need to thank Him that you are still there?