June 27, 2013
Judges 21:25 — In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
A central theme to the Book of Judges is the sin cycle — the people are doing well, and turn away from God. God sends something to punish the people — to get their attention. The suffering people repent, God relents and sends a judge — effectively a leader — to rescue them. … The people are doing well, and turn away from God … And on it goes.
Are you tempted to see parallels in today’s America? I’m not. I can’t see the evidence of the turning back, and relenting, and provision of a leader … No, I see something different. I see an accelerating moral decline as we rush, headlong, to the end of days. But that’s not what is on my mind today.
I do see a parallel to the sin cycle. I see it in myself. Suppose I rewrite the scripture: “In those days there was no king in Ian: every day he did that which was right in his own eyes. ” How far is that from the truth? Of course there is a King in me, or at least His Holy Spirit. But it takes great faith always to obey the promptings of the Spirit. And I have some recurrent sins that drag me back, that I have to repent, and return to the leadership of My Lord.
I am prone to worry. I know it’s irrational, and unfaithful. I know I have a hope, and a future. But I’m weak, and sometimes it catches me. I have fought a lifelong battle with anger. I’ve done much better with that one since I was born again, but my enemy is still crouching at my door, ready to pounce. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” You know the answer to that one … “Thanks be to The Lord Jesus Christ.”
Do you have to deal with the sin cycle? I don’t have any instant cure. I don’t even have a guaranteed long term cure. There are things that work for me — prayer, study, quiet time and — of course — 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
I would have given up on me long ago. God hasn’t. He doesn’t. He’s in the redemption business, not the rejection business. One of the many unique things about Christianity is that it has a built-in precise understanding of human nature, and provision of the remedy. One more reason to worship!