Psalm 106: ³⁴ They (the Israelites) did not destroy the peoples (who inhabited the Promised Land), as the Lord commanded them, ³⁵ but they mingled with the nations and learned to do as they did. ³⁶ They served their idols, which became a snare to them. ³⁷ They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; ³⁸ they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood. 

I’ve often heard company executives say that the most valuable resource they have is their people. As the senior leader of a local church I would tend to agree, though I would put the power of the Holy Spirit as first and people second. Nevertheless, without our people we are not the church.

So I imagine what it must have been like to be among the Israelites when they were warring against the native peoples of the Promised Land which God had given to them. Early on God told the leaders of Israel to put to death all of the people they encountered – man, woman, and child. Why? Because these people were not worshippers of Yahweh and would lead Israel astray with their idolatrous ways. God’s command was brutal, but it made sense. We’re told in our passage that Israel did NOT do what God had commanded, but kept some of the native peoples alive. The passage also tells us some of what happened as a result of Israel’s disobedience. It ended badly.

The bible tells us that God’s ways are not our ways. Our passage for today is one example of this. So this morning I’m asking the Lord for faith to trust his ways when they don’t make sense to me. Lord, let it be so. Amen.