Mon.’s Devo - Resurrection

Read Judges 8:18-9:21, Luke 23:44-24:12, Ps. 99:1-9, Pr. 14:9-10 Gideon killed the two leaders of the Midian army because they had killed his brothers. Gideon started out as a great leader, but let the fame go to his head. He acknowledged God as their ruler which was a good thing, but then he made a gold ephod which snared the people into idolatry. An ephod was a decorative vest worn only by the priest. Gideon went back home where his many wives and concubines bore him 70 sons. One of his concubines bore a son named Abimelech. The land had 40 years of peace. Gideon died and the people fell back into sin. Abimelech went to his mother’s people in Shechem and roused them to make them their king since he was one of them. They agreed and gave him 70 pieces of silver to hire assassins to help him kill his 70 brothers. The youngest brother, Jotham, managed to escape. The people of Shechem had a ceremony to make Abimelech their king and Jotham slipped in and made an announcement. He reminded the people that his father, Gideon had saved them from the Midianites. Was this how they were showing their gratitude? He spoke down a curse upon Abimelech and them for their evil deed then ran. In Luke, the sky goes dark for three hours, Joseph of Arimathaea begs Pilate for Jesus body. He wraps it in linen and lays Jesus in his own tomb. He doesn’t stay there for long. The next day, his body is gone and discovered by the women who came to anoint his body with spices. What they found instead were two angels who told them Jesus was risen. When they told the disciples, no one would believe them except Peter. When we try to take things in our own hands like Abimelech did we leave ourselves open for attack and disaster. When we leave it all to God we get resurrection and life. It may look bad at the time, but left in God’s hands is always going to turn out good. He can take death and breathe life into it. God can do what we can’t. Lord, You are the resurrection and the life! We give you our future that You may breathe on us Your life.