Reading: Judges 3:7-11
Reflection: The Book of Judges can be tough to read. There is a lot of violence, and even the judges are often a confusing mix of good and bad. If we take today’s reading literally, then God caused God’s people to be conquered by an enemy nation, and then raised up a leader to free them. This is once again an ancient perspective on God, from a time when gods were fickle and unpredictable.
Nevertheless, in their time of suffering, a leader did rise up to help God’s people to find freedom. Othniel went to war, conquered the king of Aram, and then ruled over God’s people for forty years in peace. If we lay aside the details of the story for now, one thing stands out that is a common characteristic of the way God calls – we are never called for our own sakes.
God’s call is always to serve, liberate, and bring life to others. As we follow Jesus, the best way we can live as called ones is to share with those around us the same grace Jesus has shared with us. How can you show grace to the people in your life today?
Practice for Today: Acts of service, even when they are small and seemingly insignificant, can be incredibly powerful. Simply taking the time to show someone grace or making the effort to serve them in some small, kind way, can not only bring life to the other person, but it can also lead us deeper into God’s grace and love ourselves. Commit to doing one simple act of service for someone today.
Prayer for Today: You have called me to share your grace, O God, and I accept that call.
Communion with Christ
Intentional Faith 