PRONE TO DRIFT
Kimberly Lawrence
Today's Scripture: “And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.” Judges 13:1, ESV
Theme: People repeatedly give in to evil and God lets them (and us) stray for a while. Though he was flawed, Samson was sent to Judge Israel and God used Him to deliver His people.
A PATTERN
If you’ve ever read through the book of Judges, you have likely realized a pattern. People keep messing up, there are consequences to their actions, they cry out, God rescues them…and then they mess up again. Sound familiar? It’s like watching a friend engage in toxic behavior over and over; you want to shout, “Haven’t you learned by now!?”
THEY DRIFTED AWAY AGAIN
In this verse, we’re at the start of Samson’s story. But, before Samson even enters the scene, we’re reminded that God’s people have once again drifted away from Him. Scripture doesn’t list the Israelites sins, specifically. But, based on patterns in Judges and other books from the same time period, we can piece together that these recurring mistakes may have been idolatry, blending in with culture, forgetting God’s covenant, and moral compromise. This time, the result is forty years under Philistine oppression. Forty years! That’s a long time sitting in the mess of your choices.
WE DRIFT AWAY AGAIN
This isn’t just an “ancient” problem. We do the very same thing today. We may not bow to idols, but we often chase our own satisfaction, ignoring God’s guidance or trusting our own efforts over His Word. We often only realize how far we’ve wandered when the “Philistines” in our lives (stress, emptiness, broken relationships, addictions) start closing in. Much like the Israelites, we often shirk responsibility for the consequences of the sin in our lives and ask, “Where is God?”
ALL IS NOT LOST!
Thankfully, we have a loving God who never leaves us or forsakes us. He understands our constant struggles and shortcomings. Even though the Israelites were stuck in a cycle of failure, God wasn’t done with them. He was already preparing a deliverer, Samson, and ultimately the Savior Jesus. Before they even cried out, God had a plan in motion.
Make it Personal: If you’re feeling stuck in your own cycle, remember:
- God sees where you are.
- He’s not surprised by your struggles.
- He’s already at work to bring you out, even before you’ve fully turned back to Him.
- Our flaws become the backdrop for God’s power to shine. Don’t let your weaknesses and mistakes keep you from Him. He will use them for His glory.
Prayer: Lord, I admit I’m prone to drift from You. Thank You for loving me unconditionally and drawing me back to You, even when I’m slow to realize it. Help me to trust Your plan, learn from my mistakes and make changes, instead of continuing the cycle. Help me put You above all else in my life but, most importantly, ahead of myself. Amen.
Read: Romans 7:15; Psalm 19:12-23; 2 Corinthians 12:9
Weekly Memory Verse: “And the people of Israel said to the Lord, ‘We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.’ So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel.’” Judges 10:15-16, ESV