Prayer Journal
Wednesday, May 24, 2000
"You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you." Deut 7:16
One of the most troublesome questions I've pondered is this one; "How could a loving God command anyone to completely wipe out other nations, including men, women, children, their cities and cattle." The question is timeless. No doubt you've pondered it as well.
This verse seems to imply that anything less than total obedience creates a snare of whatever is left. God is pleased when we obey and not satisfied when we say we obey, but don't fully do what He has instructed us to do.
Not too long ago, some young Christians, under conviction of God, brought their secular music CDs to the church altar, where they were later carried out and burned. Many people who watched the fire blaze that day, wondered just how much money was going up in smoke. But the lesson was effective. God recognizes TOTAL obedience - anything less will certainly become a snare to us.
If we simply put away our sin, we'll more than likely pick it up again on another day when our conviction fades. The only way to be fully obedient is to completely destroy the thing on which God places His finger of judgment. In these days, God does not lead us to destroy people, but He means for us to completely destroy the idols and gods of our own making.
'Holy Father, I have sinned with "partial" obedience more times than I can remember. You tell me to "not look with pity", but I've disregarded that admonition over and over again. And, how many gods have I created, then subsequently failed to destroy at Your command?
The snares of my own making lay before me in a path that seems, at times, too difficult to navigate. Help me remove those snares, so I can make the way plain for others that may follow behind. "Covering them over" won't do! Teach me to completely obey You in everything I do.' WebServant
(1) Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society
(2) The images used herein were obtained from the Learning Company's ClickArt Christian Graphics Deluxe product, (c)1999 The Learning Company, Inc and its subsidiaries, 88 Roland Way, Novato, CA 94945 USA. All Rights Reserved.
