Day 96: Judges 18-19; Luke 10:25-42

I cannot read Judges 19 without being repulsed. My thoughts always take me to Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?" (NKJV) When I despair of the evil of this age, I am reminded that the wise man said, "There is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). The challenge of human history, and especially the age in which we live, is the impossible notion that we can make our world better apart from God, and His heart-changing grace in Jesus. The more far-reaching our ideals, the more frantic our self-promoting efforts, the more we legislate and throw money at our end-goal, the deeper we move into chaos and anarchy. Can't our world see? Indeed, it cannot! Sin has veiled its eyes (2 Corinthians 3:14). This is only removed through Christ, says Paul, and he is right.

When you and I ponder Good Friday's epic sacrifice and consider Jesus' first word from the cross in light of Judges 19 and the world we live in today, we have to be in awe of the extent of love, mercy and grace: "Father, forgive them..." (Luke 23:34). He always has been and ever will be the only salvation of the deceitful and desperately wicked heart. Out of the depths of our being we cry out in gratitude, for He has cleansed our hearts...He has saved us from ourselves! Now, let us renew our resolve to seek Him first in all things and pray and work for the heart-change of our world!

No Comments