Lord,
I don’t always understand the stories in the Old Testament, but I’m so glad that I can trust You even when I don’t understand everything. Please help me to not shy away from the hard stories, but be willing to dig in deep to Scripture to see what You would have me learn from them.
As I read this account, I am struck by the Israelites’ faithfulness to seek your instruction as they went into battle. Even though You said to go to battle, they still lost, twice! Lord, please help me to walk forward in obedience, even when it doesn’t work out the way I expected. Please help me to have the faith of the Israelites to keep seeking your wisdom and your way. They persevered in obedience and ultimately You gave them the victory.
It was sad that the Book of Judges ends with “all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” Lord, I feel like the same statement could be said of today’s culture. Please help believers to be obedient to You as our one true King instead of following the way of the world. Help us to be “in the world but not of it.” Amen.