Devotional: Doing your own thing? Maybe rethink it.

Life can be confusing especially when everybody is “doing their own thing.”

Just look at the NFL. Confusion happens daily as players try to deliver a clear message why they’re not standing during the National Anthem. Some say it’s to support other players. Others that it’s about police brutality toward African Americans. Some say it’s a response to our President’s comments.

As each week passes, the reasons become more confusing. Americans get more upset as the NFL gives more “explanations.”

Most players just wish they could play football. But the NFL has no solid leadership to guide them.

The book of Judges tells a similar story. The Israelites moved from being slaves in Egypt to owners of the Promised land. Moses, then Joshua, provided strong leadership by guiding the people to obey God’s words. A vacuum was left when Joshua and his generation died and no one replaced them.

Judges tells stories how Israel was defeated, abused, and made subject to harsh nations that God allowed to conquer them. The last verse of the book sums up why this happened: “In those days, there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

When Israel followed God, they were blessed. When they followed their own ways, it brought problems. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 3:5-6 that we should, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather follow God’s direction rather than mine.

This story was originally published October 6, 2017 at 8:07 AM with the headline "Devotional: Doing your own thing? Maybe rethink it.."