COMPLETE OBEDIENCE - FOLLOW THROUGH. By Renee Takahashi

Scripture:
When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely.
Judges 1:28

Observation:
God is sovereign and wise. When the Lord commands us to do something, He seeks complete obedience. It would make sense to follow His command all the way. He knows everything. Yet somehow we compromise the command by what we think makes sense at the time, but that turns out to be what gets you in the end. God knew that the Israelites could not co-exist with the evil Canaanites. He had commanded the tribes that when they took over the promised land, they were to drive out the inhabitants there. But we read that they didn’t drive them out but used them for labor. That must have made sense for them at that time, but because the Israelites did not drive out the people, they ended up being tempted into the ways of the inhabitants and fell away from the Lord. Ironically, it turned out that although the Israelites kept the Canaanites to enslave them, the Israelites ended up being in bondage to their ways and away from the Lord.

Application:
Sin needs to be dealt with completely. We cannot only half stop doing the sin. We need to be completely rid of it. We cannot compromise in dealing with sin, we have to follow through with it completely. I love that we have a church that has a restoration program. Its awesome that there is direction to deal with sin completely. Its an honor to walk beside the person as they complete the direction given by the Pastor. The challenge for me is to NOT compromise anything that was determined. I have to remember what the program was all about and the time in which it was given. Even if things seem to be going well, I must always remember to hold the person accountable to COMPLETE the program.

Prayer:
Father, I am so thankful that you love us so much that you don’t want us to be bound by the sin that we commit. Thank you that you give us commands to help us be free of temptations, but even when we don’t listen and are stuck, you give us mercy and help us get out. Thank you that you allow me to walk beside my brothers and sisters and they with me in dealing with the sin in our lives. Thank you Lord that you want complete obedience and follow through. That you make it perfectly clear so there is no room for compromise. Hallelujah!