S. O. A. P.
Here’s Your 90 second AM Devotional!
S-cripture:
Judges 19:12
His master replied, “No. We won’t go into any city whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.”
O-bservation:
These are the words of a Levite who had taken his wife from her father’s home in Bethlehem as they began a long journey back to his home in Ephraim’s hill country. As night was approaching, his attendant said to him, “We should spend the night in Jebus,” which was Jerusalem. But Jebus had not been fully taken over by the Israelites, and the Levite said, “No! We won’t stay anywhere but where Israelites control the territory.” So they went to Gibeah, where the tribe of Benjamin lived. An elderly man invited the traveling team of three to stay with him since it was quite late. They did, and while they were enjoying the evening at the older man’s house, evil men from Gibeah came and took the Levite’s wife and raped her until she died!!
A-pplication:
This is a long story that doesn’t find its conclusion until the end of the next chapter. Yet, there is a point that I want to make that seems appropriate. This Levite, because of the tribe he came, from was a minister. He knew all of the laws, which is why he insisted on heading for Israeli territory. However, sometimes conventional wisdom fails. Such a case happened to this man, and it was a real tragedy. He should have been able to trust what he had been taught from childhood. The teaching promoted that an Israelite was always safer in the presence of another Israelite. These twelve tribes of Israel represented each of the twelve sons of Jacob. So they were family, even though many generations had passed since the twelve tribes had begun. But on this particular night, this man didn’t listen to his young associate, who the Lord was using to warn him. Instead, he traveled late into the night to get to safety. Sadly, when he arrived, he learned, “Sometimes Family Can Be Dangerous.”
P-rayer:
Dear Jesus,
This AM, I’m reminded that most of all, I should listen to your warning signs no matter what I’ve been taught from my childhood. Help me heed Your call. Amen
The post Sometimes Family Can Be Dangerous appeared first on RICH WILKERSON.
