DAILY READINGS: 1 Chronicles 12:1-40; Ezekiel 13:1-23; John 4:31-54
And the children of Israel arose…and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first. Judges 20:18
Israel made plans to attack Benjamin. They asked, “Who should go first.” Not endorsing their plan, God only answered the question put to Him. It took 40,000 deaths for them to realize that though it was right to cleanse the land, they had lost sight of more critical matters: their love and awe for Jehovah and mourning and brokenness towards their erring brethren. In dealing with the sins of others, we must first be right with the Lord and then possess selfless grief to act properly. —W. A. H.
With one consent we meekly bow beneath Thy chastening hand,
And pouring forth confession meet, mourn with our mourning land. —J. H. G.