the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 2 of 5
Judges 1:16-26
The book of Judges has hardly begun and already we can see a sad and rapid decline. What is the reason for it? In its essence it is being forgetful of the presence of the LORD. No longer is Gilgal the place of self-judgment and the place where the Angel of the LORD was (Judges 2:1). What is the result of this? The power of the men is greatly feared, their iron chariots are terrifying. There appears to be a similarity with the time of Joshua here. The taking of Luz makes us think of the capture of Jericho. But it is not a question of faith on the part of Joseph’s sons, nor on the part of the man who showed them the entrance to the city. Rahab was spared because of her faith. It is quite different in the case of the betrayer of Luz, who, instead of living there with the people, goes away and builds his city elsewhere. A victory which is not the fruit of trust in God will never last.
There is general decline but, individually, each tribe is characterized by how much it tolerates or submits to, in greater or lesser extent, the presence of enemies in its territory. In the Church too, the general laxity is a result of individual laxity. Each Christian has his or her personal responsibility for it. We should each ask ourselves, "What is my responsibility? What has been my testimony since the day I was converted?"
