- Judges 11 Daily DEVO But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and drive me out of my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?” Judges 11:7 – While this isn’t Jesus speaking, I can’t help but see these being words that would come out of His mouth. So often our world, and even ourselves if we’re honest, push God out so we can live how we want. Yet, when the struggle comes, we come crying out to God for rescue. We cry out to the very one that we pushed out. Let’s make sure that not our story. Let’s come to God, inviting and welcoming Him into our story today and not just in the days or trouble. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 591
- Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was the father of Jephthah. Judges 11:1 – There are just some parts of your story you can’t control. Here in our chapter Jephthah is pushed aside, kicked out, and treated poorly all due to the fact of who his mom was. Something that was completely out of his control. For you it may be who your parents are, where you were born, the color of your skin, a health issue, or even what was done to you. These things play huge parts in your story but they are completely out of your control. Know while they are out of your control they find themselves within God’s design for your story. Often it is so hard to understand why some of those things are allowed to be, but as we continue to live and share our story God helps us begin to see purposes for them. Let the parts of your story you can’t control be parts you let God have full control of. They may just be the part that God uses to bring someone close to Himself. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1794
- And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take back my vow.” Judges 11:35 – Jephthah made a vow to the Lord that the first thing that came out of his house after he returned from victory in battle would be offered as a burnt offering. We see from the passage that what came out first was his one and only daughter, and he was heartbroken because of it. Let us though understand this vow was foolish to be made to begin with, and it was sinful for him to keep it. Now yes, we ought to keep our vows, whether to God or to our spouse, for that is a holy thing to do when we make holy vows. But just because we vow to do something doesn’t make that something now right to do. I can vow to murder someone, and when I murder, I can’t excuse that sin because “I was keeping my vow.” Jephthah should have come to the Lord, repented of such a rash vow, and sought forgiveness from God for God was very specific about never wanting to have His people be involved with human sacrifice. The message for us then today is to be very careful that the vows and promises you make are holy and in line with the Lord. For when we make a sinful vow (one that’s not in line with God’s word or one that you don’t intend to keep), neither fulfilling that vow nor breaking it is right, for both end in sin. Let your yes be yes, and your no be no, and keep the words that you have given. Yet if your promise would result in you committing something unholy, lay that foolish promise before the Lord, ask forgiveness, and don’t increase your sin simply by fulfilling some sinful promise. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2867
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