March 29

Judges 1-2
Just one generation removed from those who had been alive through the exodus from Egypt, and they are already turning away from the Lord. Seems to be unreal that it could happen so quickly. Yet, in my short lifespan of a little over sixty years I have seen dramatic changes in our cultural mores. It seems that succeeding generations tend to ignore the lessons of history, and believe they have a better way. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. In my lifetime I've witnessed the death of respect for elders. The youth of today hardly ever address those who are older with terms of respect, such as, sir and ma'am. Instead of seeing these folks as storehouses of wisdom and knowledge, many young people see them as objects of ridicule. Authority figures are looked upon with suspicion and disgust. Sexual perversion is now glorified. Marriage is no longer sacred. Many believe that it's only wrong if you get caught. Doing what is right just because it is right is rare. A person's word being their bond is practically unheard of. Filth language is not only spoken in front of women and children, it is spoken through them. Politics is more about character assassination than issues. And, instead of the country rallying around the victor for the good of the country, people seek to destroy him or her without any regard for the damage done. It sounds pretty bleak when you realize this has all come to pass in about half a century. The root cause is the same as it was for Israel. People have taken their eyes off God, seeing His commands and guidelines as obsolete, believing they have a better way. Church attendance has dropped to historic lows, and even fewer people read the Bible, taking it as the supreme authority for life. However, just as with the Israelites, there is still a remnant who follow God, recognizing His word to be the only reliable guide. For this remnant it isn't unusual to see them sitting at the feet of senior citizens, gleaning the wisdom born from a lifetime in the Lord.