Today’s reading is Judges 13-14.

I know we struggle in our modern times with God’s judgment on the people in the land of Canaan. We struggle with God using Israel to mete out that judgment by killing the inhabitants of the land. While God has not asked us to kill any person as part of our service to Him, He has asked us to put to death what is earthly in us, therefore there is a very strong point we should learn from these repeated falls of the Israelites. God told them to kill the inhabitants, instead they put many of them to slave labor. In the end, that came back to haunt Israel as the ones the enslaved ended up enslaving them. The point for us? Don’t try to control what God told you to kill or it will end up controlling you.

Tomorrow’s reading is Judges 15-16.

A Word for Our Kids

Hey kids, today we see some amazing insight into God’s omniscience and omnipotence. Omniscience means God knows everything and omnipotence means He can do anything. Samson sinfully marries one of the Philistines. Yet, God used it to bring judgment upon the Philistines. That is how powerful our God is. He can weave even our sins into His plan to accomplish His will. That, of course, does not mean we have permission to sin. It does, however, demonstrate one reason why we should be in awe of God. He doesn’t have to control us to accomplish His plan. Rather, no matter what we choose, He will accomplish His saving plan. Praise the Lord!

Photo adapted from Graceway Media