weathering the storm

Judges 2:20-23 (JDV)

Judges 2:20 Yahveh’s anger burned against Israel, and he declared, “Because this nation has violated my covenant that I made with their fathers and disobeyed me,
Judges 2:21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died.
Judges 2:22 I did this to test Israel and to see whether or not they would keep Yahveh’s way by walking in it, as their fathers had.”
Judges 2:23 Yahveh placed these nations and did not drive them out immediately. He did not hand them over to Joshua.

weathering the storm

I have been reading a scary book lately. It documents the rise of secularism and its effect on popular culture, together with its declared antagonism toward the Christian faith. The more I read, the scarier it gets. I find myself wondering if my children and grandchildren will be able to share the religious rights I have enjoyed.

Thankfully, I am also reading Judges. This book chronicles a similar “gathering storm” — but goes deeper. It explains that the troubles the Israelites experienced were the result of their violating the covenant God had made with them. It also shows that even in this terrible time of conflict and bondage, God kept showing up and providing deliverance. He wanted his people to know that he has not abandoned them utterly.

LORD, revive us again. May we walk according to your covenant, and weather the storm.