#soap # Judges 10 ## Title: God is Not a Dispassionate Bystander ## Scripture: (Judges 10:16) “They threw away the foreign gods they owned and worshiped the Lord. Finally the Lord grew tired of seeing Israel suffer so much.” (NET) ## Observation: When I was a kid, I thought my parents were cruel for their punishments. I thought they enjoyed watching me suffer and planned their punishments to seek vengeance. I feel confident all kids think that at the time. However, it was very different when I had kids of my own. When they needed to be disciplined, I didn’t seek vengeance or enjoy their punishment. My heart hurt for them. I carried it with them even if I didn’t tell them at the time. I truly began to understand the statement, “This hurts me more than you.” This is the same with the Lord. The Judge does not enjoy having to give a verdict when His child is the guilty one. He carries it too. God is not a cold, disconnected Judge. He is there with you and grieves when you suffer… even if you brought that suffering on yourself. ## Application: Turn to God, even when you have earned your pain. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for walking with us through valleys we have made for ourselves.