BBD 10.31.08 Break the Cycle
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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10.31.08
Break the Cycle
Now these are the nations which the LORD left, that He might test Israel by
them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan (this was
only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to
know war, at least those who had not formerly known it), namely, five lords
of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who
dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.
And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they
would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their
fathers by the hand of Moses. - Judges 3:1-4.
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments
and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His
commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and
love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His
commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He
abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. - 1 John 3:22-24.
What would you do if you had to repeat the same day over and over again? In
the movie "Groundhog Day" that is what happens to Phil Connors (Bill Murray)
who is sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to do a story on the annual
Groundhog Day festivities. Phil finds himself repeating the same day over
and over and over again. Things go from bad to worse until he decides to
take advantage of the time instead of wasting it. Phil spent months learning
the art of flicking a card into a hat perfectly each time. But Phil's heart
changes and eventually the day arrives when it is no longer Groundhog Day
but tomorrow.
In the Book of Judges the Children of Israel have their own Groundhog Day.
No, it is not the same day repeating over and over, but it is the same cycle
of life repeating itself over and over. After the death of Joshua the
Israelites had abandoned the worship of the One True God and instead served
the false God of Baalim (Judges 2:10-13). When the people sinned, God would
allow their enemies to defeat them. In their torment the people would cry
out to God for help. Each time this happened God would send a leader, who
was called a judge to deliver them. This cycle of sin, torment, repentance,
and deliverance was repeated over and over again.
This painful cycle of sin, pain, repentance, and deliverance occurs in our
lives as well. Until we learn the lesson and break the cycle by walking in
obedience to God, we are doomed to go through that cycle over and over
again. We will never fully experience the abundant life until we break out
of this cycle. Phil Connors eventually learned his lesson. Will we?
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