As we continue to read thru the Old Testament, a rather predictable cycle has emerged. We will see a king who serves and worships God followed by a king who “does evil in the sight of the Lord.” And, you may have guessed, as the king goes, so goes the nation. Repeatedly we’ve seen this pattern emerge beginning with the reign of Saul and running thru the exile (which is where our daily readings currently are). The comments at Bible study have ranged from, “Didn’t they see this coming?” to “That looks a lot like our country!” I want to approach the text from a different angle…let’s get personal. Might this cyclical sinfulness be a snapshot of many people’s lives? Don’t we, as individuals, run hot and cold? Many people will experience a season of devout faithfulness often followed by a season of complacency and then apathy? Some people, for any number of reasons, will pull completely away from God and a few will never return! I want to ask, “Didn’t someone see this coming?” Just as your entire body responds when you stub your toe, the entire Body of Christ should respond when one member struggles. Seems it’s easy to condemn ancient Israel for their actions, but we might be the pot calling the kettle black!
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