I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

Judges 20. “Then Israel set men in ambush all around Gibeah. And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in battle array against Gibeah as at the other times. So the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. They began to strike down and kill some of the people, as at the other times, in the highways (one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah) and in the field, about thirty men of Israel. And the children of Benjamin said, ‘They are defeated before us, as at first’…  But the Benjamites did not know that disaster was upon them. The Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel. And the children of Israel destroyed that day twenty-five thousand one hundred Benjamites; all these drew the sword” (verses 29-32, 34-35). I encourage you to read this Chapter. Heck I encourage (if you haven’t been doing so), to pick up your Bible and read God’s words for yourselves. After receiving the message from the Levite man who’s wife had been murdered. The Israelites gathered together to discuss where they were before the Lord, and what they needed to do to rectify what had happened (it took body parts in the mail, to get you to open your eyes? Really!?). Israel tells the Benjamites that they need to turn over the men who committed the crime, so that God’s anger would subside. However, the Benjamites refused. They go to war. Israel seeks God about who should go out first. He says, “Judah”. However, Israel is defeated. They come before God again, and He says. “Go.” But yet again Israel is defeated. They fast, pray, and weep and ask, “God should we try one more time?” This time the answer is, “Go, for I will deliver them into your hand.” The Benjamites are defeated. Don’t miss the lesson. The Benjamites didn’t want to repent, and for a while it seemed as though they’d be victorious in their sin. Sin is fun, it feels like a victory. No one would sin otherwise. But it ALWAYS leads to death, ALWAYS. There is no escaping the consequences, for sin only has one ending. Note, the first two victories had the Benjamites so confident they could not even fathom that they might lose. God was not even a thought in their minds. However, the two defeats brought Israel to a place where God could use them, they humbled themselves, humbled their hearts, and came out victorious. Sometimes it seems as though the world is winning. But sin only has one ending. Instead of looking at the world, we need to look inward and find out where our heats are before God. Victory comes to the humble of heart.