Judges 10:13–14: “Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress.”

April 24th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Israel cried out to the Lord, but God said He would not deliver them. Why was He so harsh with Israel? It seems that God knew the people would have to become completely sick of their sin before they would truly turn to God. He was patiently waiting for them to really turn around. Anyone who has children knows how easy it is to say “sorry,” without really meaning it. A few verses later we find Israel is truly sorry, in their hearts, not just in their words. They were finally sick of their sin, and realized the worst part of serving God Almighty was still so much better than the best part of serving idols. When Israel finally repented, not only in heart, but in action, then God had mercy on them and raised up a deliverer.

Far too often, when believers are “crying out to the Lord,” it’s really just because they wish things were different; they don’t like how things are going. God desires that our whole hearts be turned toward Him, and that in our undivided hearts we want Him to have control. God wanted from Israel in that day the same thing He wants from us today. He is looking into the very deepest part of our souls, the center of our beings, where nothing is hidden from Him, for a heart that will put its hand to the plow and not keep looking back (Luke 9:62). There is nothing worth following in this world except God. Simon Peter said it well: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

“Change my heart, O, God . . .”