work (another view)

Judges 2:6-13 (The Message)

^6-9 After Joshua had dismissed them, the People of Israel went off to claim their allotted territories and take possession of the land. The people worshiped God throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the time of the leaders who survived him, leaders who had been in on all of God's great work that he had done for Israel. Then Joshua son of Nun, the servant of God, died. He was 110 years old. They buried him in his allotted inheritance at Timnath Heres in the hills of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash.

¹⁰ Eventually that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn't know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel.

^11-15 The People of Israel did evil in God's sight: they served Baal-gods; they deserted God, the God of their parents who had led them out of Egypt; they took up with other gods, gods of the peoples around them. They actually worshiped them! And oh, how they angered God as they worshiped god Baal and goddess Astarte! God's anger was hot against Israel: He handed them off to plunderers who stripped them; he sold them cheap to enemies on all sides. They were helpless before their enemies. Every time they walked out the door God was with them—but for evil, just as God had said, just as he had sworn he would do. They were in a bad way.

I love the way the Message puts this: 'they took up with other gods, gods of the peoples around them. They actually worshiped them!' This passage of scripture is sobering. To think one generation grew up not knowing God & to see how it put them 'in a bad way' is heartbreaking. This is why I take my job seriously.

Show kids God's love. Help kids love church. That's what I get to do. So yeah, sometimes I do something silly and other times I am able to see kids hold onto the fact that God's way is the best. It's humbling & exciting!