Judges 19-21

Disturbed.  That's how I feel after reading Judges 19-21.  The story begins with a Levite and his mistress who are on their way back home.  They stop to get some rest, and a local man (a Benjamite) from the hill country of Gibeah, takes them in for the night.  Some local hoodlums, looking for trouble, want to rape the Levite man, but he offers them his mistress instead.  She is brutally raped and murdered.  And if that wasn't horrendous enough, the Levite decides to cut her body up into twelve pieces and send them out to the 12 tribes of Israel.  It's disgusting, and that's how the book of Judges ends.

Now, I am sitting here not sure what to do with this story.  My heart is heavy.  I know there's a God saving message in this awful mess.  But what?

And I realize, this heart wrenching story of evil is just like the ones that fill our news channels night after night.

Then, I come across that same verse again, the one from yesterday's messiness.  God's Word for me, repeats itself.

25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.

Judges 21:25

There are so many gruesome details, so many things that are so obviously wrong in the story today.  It makes me sick.

I know why people find themselves wondering "Where is God?"

And I just want to scream loud enough for the whole world to hear, "HE'S RIGHT HERE LONGING FOR OUR TIME AND ATTENTION!"

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God..."

Psalm 46:10

A prayer for today-

Dear God,

Thank You for Your saving grace that is available to me for eternity through Your Son, Jesus Christ.  Keep my heart open and humble to You and Your love.  I pray You will continually guide me in all the ways I need to come to You in repentance and reliance.

In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit I pray, 

Amen

In Christ's love,

*This post is part of A Mind-Maker-Upper's Everyday Reading Project.  Click here to read more.