Joel M Bradshaw

6The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the LORD and did not serve him. 7So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, 8and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed…

10And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.” 11And the LORD said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? 12The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. 13Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. 14Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” 15And the people of Israel said to the LORD, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.” 16So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel.–Judges 10

There have been days when my kids have been very disobedient and gotten on my last nerve. One day I felt so frustrated I remember saying, “Both of you go to your rooms and wait there. I am still figuring out what the punishment will be.” I remember pouring myself a cup of coffee and taking a break. I think I turned off the WIFI for the day as the punishment. I remember that punishment got their attention as they couldn’t play the games they wanted on their technology devices. A string of wails for grace and apologies began to emerge from their rooms. Tears were produced. But they were just upset about the punishment.

Every parent reading our text today can recall a day when they had had enough. God seems to have been there. He recognized the game the Israelites were trying to play with him and he wasn’t having it anymore! He even seems to have seen through their ‘repentance’ as if he’s heard all that before, too.

God is not a trained seal. He doesn’t perform when we want him to. He’s also not a first aid kit. He doesn’t just exist only when we need him. He’s not a hotel concierge. Answering the phone every time we call awaiting to answer our every need according to our timing and agenda. God is God and we are not.

Israel had turned away and started to follow gods of materialism. They sought to gratify their fleshly desires rather than being faithful. And since God delivered them from their enemies in the past, they thought he would simply always do so. As if God existed for them and not they for God.

We are left to wonder how Israel was going to move forward with God. He seems to have had enough of their games. Do you treat God that way?–JMB