READING: Judges 10-12
Have you ever worked through the process of repentance, but your heart wasn’t in it? Have you said the right words but with the wrong heart (like in yesterday’s devotion)? Have you “turned” from your sin on one hand while holding on to it with the other hand? That’s where we find the Hebrews in today’s reading. Watch this process of what appears to be a faulty repentance:
- The people, captured by the false gods of the culture around them, turned to many of those gods. (Judges 10:6)
- In judgment, God raised up the Philistines and the Amorites to oppress them. (Judges 10:7-9)
- The people cried out to God for help. (Judges 10:10)
- In this case, though, God did NOT immediately deliver them. Instead, He said (paraphrased), “You’ve seen me save you so many times before when you cried out to me, and still you did not serve me.” In fact, He said He would not save them any more (Judges 10:13).
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The people cried out to God again, but this time the cry was a bit different: “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 . . . ." (Joshua 10:15-16a)
- They recognized that God could do whatever He wanted to do to them. They apparently knew they deserved judgment.
- Still they cried out for rescue.
- Now, they actually put away their false gods — which they apparently did not do when they first cried out to God. Their repentance had been only superficial the first time.
- God grieved over their misery, and He would eventually deliver them again.
It’s point #5 that should give us pause today. When our repentance is surface-level, it is no repentance at all — and God sees through that kind of heart. As long as we hold on to our idols (our fame, our dollars, our sin, our pride, etc…), we are not repenting. Period.
ACTION STEPS: Consider these steps:
- Check your heart to see if you are holding on to any idols. Ask this question, “Is there anything I would not give up if God requires me to do so?”
- If you find any idols, turn from giving them control over your life.
- Pray this prayer from Joshua 10:15 — “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.”
PRAYER: “Father, thank You for both Your righteous anger and Your gracious love. Deliver me today.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Judges 13-15