April 1st, 25: The Story of Jephthah: A Leader's Rise in Turbulent Times

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast! In today's episode, Hunter takes us on a thought-provoking journey through the Bible. As we delve into Judges chapters 11 and 12, we encounter the story of Jephthah, a great warrior facing the challenges of rejection, leadership, and a heart-wrenching vow. We also traverse into Psalm 50, where God calls His people to genuine worship and thankfulness, and Second Corinthians chapter 1, where Paul shares about finding comfort amid suffering and the power of relying on God's presence. Hunter wraps up with heartfelt prayers and encourages us to lean on God's love and joy throughout our day. Join us as we explore God's word and reflect on how it speaks to our lives today. Let’s dive in!

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Given the option, I'll rely on myself every time. Given the choice, I'll hold on to control with the death grip until I reach the point of death. My guess is you know that grip well. Well, God wants us to go beyond the death grip and utter self reliance and move us into something entirely new. A life of dependence and trust in his presence.

It appears in two Corinthians that God allows us to go through these near death experiences in order to break our grip and open our hands to his. Paul says that he thought he would never live through the difficulties he was experiencing. He said it was so bad he expected to die. The purpose of these experiences was that he would learn to stop relying on himself, and rather to trust in God who raises the dead. In other words, we learn to rely on the power of the resurrection, the power of Christ's presence with us, in us, to release our grip and hold on to him.

There's no escaping suffering in this world and I wish that I could fully explain the meaning of suffering in our life, but I can't. But what I can do in the face of suffering and its reality is to look to the one who came and suffered with us and for us that he might give us hope beyond our suffering. That we might even have joy in life in the wake of our suffering.

And God is still doing that even today. He's still suffering with us. That's the nature of love, to suffer with. The word compassion literally means to suffer with. God is the self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering one. That's the nature of his love. And when this love meets you at the deepest level, at your deepest loss, in your deepest shame, in your deepest wounds, he begins to mend you and to heal you and not only you, but those around you who are suffering.

That's what Paul described here in verse six. He said, for when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. If you're suffering today and you have a death grip on those circumstances, open up your hand to His. Experience His love today and let Him begin to heal and mend and to make you new.

That's the prayer that I have for you today. May it be so.