ANDREW'S AFFIRMATION

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Job 12:1-6,13-25 Have you ever tried to speak your truth only to discover that while some hold your truth as sacred others judge and condemn you because of your truth? In this passage, Job shares his truth with those closest to him, and, even though he was a just and innocent man, his friends viewed him as a laughingstock. Job quickly realizes that while those who have it easy in life do not appreciate the light which truth brings, those who struggle in life are able to appreciate the light which truth brings. Job doubles down on his faith that ultimately God is in control, and that God will use Job’s truth to liberate him from judgment and condemnation. Acts 11:19-30 Do you ever lose your way because of the suffering you experience or the pain you see others going through? In this passage, many of the faithful were scattered because of the persecution that Stephen endured. The fear and anxiety they felt threatened to derail their faith. The Bi...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Judges 14:1-19 Here we are given a glimpse at Samson’s first failed marriage. Samson had experienced love at first sight and demanded a Philistine wife. Unfortunately, Samson was more concerned about how things looked to himself instead of how they looked to God. Do things of the flesh garner our attention more than the things of the spirit? How much time do we literally spend with God on a daily basis? What might this critical analysis of our time management suggest about what we love most in life? Specifically related to love, is it possible for us to fall in love with someone that we have no business falling in love with or is falling in love always the healthiest thing for us to do? It is interesting to note that Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, because she pleases me." How would Samson’s demand be received in today’s context - especially in light of the #MeToo movement? Samson’s parents felt pressured to give into thei...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Judges 13:15-24 In this passage, Manoah offers to prepare a meal for the angel of the Lord but the angel declines to eat the food and suggests instead that Manoah prepare an offering and present it to the Lord. Have you ever ministered to someone in their time of need, and received an outpouring of appreciation from? The thanks we receive from the world should be directed towards God and not ourselves. Those who provide ministry to the needy should never selfishly hoard indulgences as this only serves to distance the faithful from God. We must take note that it was through the humble actions of the angel in redirecting the praise of Manoah and his wife that they were able to see God clearly. The angel set a powerful example for Manoah and his wife that life is not about glorifying ourselves but rather about glorifying God. When their son was born, they named him Samson, and they observed him grow. Ultimately, Samson used his blessings not to gl...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Judges 13:1-15 This passage foretells the birth of Samson. It is interesting to note that we are given the name of Samson’s father - Manoah - but we are not told the name of Samson’s mother. An angel of the Lord appears to Manoah’s wife, in her barrenness, and tells her she will have a son. The angel instructs her to name her son Samson and informs her that Samson would be special. Samson would be the last of the judges of the ancient Israelites mentioned in the Book of Judges and one of the last leaders who "judged" Israel before the institution of the monarchy. This great promise of God comes into a context of great dysfunction. The cycle of sin, bondage, repentance, deliverance, blessing, and sin again continued in the history of Israel. Israel is described as having done evil in the sight of the Lord. What cycle of sin are we caught up in? How might we break this cycle? This was the question that Israel was confronted with. Unders...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Judges 12:1-7 In this passage we see the conflict between Jephthah and the men of Ephraim. The tribe of Ephraim felt slighted by Jephthah and were angry that they did not have a central and prestigious role in the victorious battle over the Ammonites. Do we feel slighted and angry when we are not in the spotlight or the center of attention? It is evident that the men of Ephraim were more concerned with getting the credit than with seeing a job done. Can we admit that there is a tendency within all of us to not want to do a job unless we receive credit? The Ephraimites backed up their anger with a threat. They threatened to burn down Jephthah’s house with him in it. It is a strange jealousy that causes a loving human being to transform into a fire of hate that burns down relationships. The biggest threat to the church and to the community at large is the disintegration of relationships due to selfish desires. Has our sense of unity been lost in ...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Judges 7:19-8:12 In this passage we see the defeat of the Midianite army. It is interesting to note the attitude of the men of Ephraim who joined the fight against Midian. The men of Ephraim were upset that Gideon did not call them before the battle started. The men of Ephraim seem to have cared more about recognition than the overall good of Israel. Instead of being jealous about the recognition that others received, they should have been happy that God’s people were rescued and that they had some part in the victory. How does jealousy hinder our ability to rejoice in the blessings that God bestows upon us? Surprisingly, Gideon did not challenge the men of Ephraim in their arrogant pride; instead Gideon soothed their pride by complimenting them and giving them the recognition they seemed to crave. Most importantly, he challenged them to get involved in the work of God that was at hand. His reply was a wise way to deal with contention when ther...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Judges 7:1-18 Have you ever felt like you were in over your head? In this passage, Gideon’s army of 32,000 was already overmatched by 135,000 Midianites. Yet, God thought Gideon’s army was too big. You see, God wanted to make sure that Israel did not think for a moment that it was their power that would give them the victory. Believe it or not, God wanted the credit for helping Israel defeat the Midianites. “Israel would only take the credit away from me, saying, 'My own hand has delivered me.'” Therefore, God commanded Gideon to invite all who were afraid to go home. We are told that 22,000 soldiers returned home, and Gideon was left with only 10,000 soldiers to fight the Midianites. We can only imagine how perplexing this must have been for Gideon. How would we have felt if we were in Gideon’s position? To make matters even more complicated, the Lord said to Gideon, "The troops are still too many; take them down to the water and ...

A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings Judges 6:25-40 Does God condone destructive behavior? The obvious answer is - NO; the not so obvious answer is - YES. In this passage, the Lord’s instruction to Gideon was that he destroy those things that were not of God and build up those things that were of God. This is God’s directive to all of us. Are we willing to obey the Lord in this regard? Evil systems of injustice and oppression must be dismantled. However, such action is never easy or comfortable. To do so will draw the fury of the enemy our way and place a target on our back. Yet, this is exactly what Gideon was called by God to do. This is exactly what Jesus did for us in destroying the strongholds of evil, sin and death. We are told in scripture that Gideon was too afraid of his family and the townspeople to pull down the altar of Baal during the day so he did it by night. When the townspeople rose early the next morning, the altar of Baal was broken down, and an offering was mad...