I love in Judges 1 at the commentary below, it said Joshua had been the obvious successor to Moses, but there was no obvious successor to Joshua. During this crisis of leadership, Israel had to learn that no matter how powerful and wise the current leader was, their real leader was God. We often focus our hope and confidence on some influential leader, failing to realize that in reality it is God who is in command. Acknowledge God as your commander in chief, and avoid the temptation of relying too heavily on human leaders, regardless of their spiritual wisdom.

There was a ruler named Adoni-Bezek who fled when Judah attacked their city. They caught him and instead of executing him quickly, as the Lord had commanded earlier, they cut off his thumbs and big toes. v. 6. That sounded so repugnant when I read it. Then Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have picked up scraps under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there. v. 7.

From Hearing God, Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5. Our only protection from our own pride, fear, ignorance and impatience as we study the Bible is fellowship with the living Word, the Lord himself, invoked in constant supplication from the midst of his people, as we see in this stanza from the hymn, “Break Thou the Bread of Life” by Mary A. Lathbury: O send Thy Spirit, Lord, now unto me, That He may touch my eyes, and make me see; Show me the truth concealed within Thy word, and in Thy book revealed, I see thee Lord.

How does all of this come together? With the Lord Himself leading us. Here, with Him, we experience newness of life. Words on a page are just words on a page no matter the book, until the Lord Himself shows us Himself.

We learn from our ancestors who went before us – or we don’t. Adoni-Bezek learned painfully who was truly worthy to be leader and it wasn’t him. We see our own life experiences that are imbedded in the times we live in, times that are ever changing at a rapid, dizzying pace we can barely comprehend or keep up with. What do we learn?

In turning to God to help me see, I see Him revealed not just in the words on pages between the covers of my Bible, but Him walking beside me as I ask Him to mold the desires of my heart to understand and be with Him always.

This morning in answered prayer, He asked me to be silent with Him. Listen. He reminded me He hears the same sounds…birdsong, the clock ticking, water gurgling in the hydro-thing my husband set up yielding fresh lettuce, tomatoes…the sound of the unison of I love you. He is here with me. I am here with Him. There is such peace in this, such love given and received. Newness of life.

How do we arrive at this newness of life with Him? Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Matthew 7:7-8, Revelation 3:20.

I see the Lord and He is good!