When Good Kids Go Bad
Opening Prayer
Think about and pray that God will help the parents of any “troubled” teenagers you might know.
Read Judges 2:6-23
[6] After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to their own inheritance. [7] The people served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel. [8] Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten. [9] And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. [10] After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. [11] Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. [12] They forsook the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the LORD’s anger [13] because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. [14] In his anger against Israel the LORD gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. [15] Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the LORD was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress. [16] Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. [17] Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the LORD’s commands. [18] Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. [19] But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. [20] Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant I ordained for their ancestors and has not listened to me, [21] I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. [22] I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their ancestors did.” [23] The LORD had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What great evil did these people commit against the Lord?If you watch TV you will have heard stories of children from “good” families who have “messed up” or “gone bad.” Perhaps they are disobedient, ill-mannered, aggressive, even violent or criminal. In desperation the parents call out for help. Whether it’s Supernanny or Dr. Phil, someone from outside the family is called upon to provide a solution; but how did it come to this? When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, God went with them. They took possession of the land and remained faithful to the Lord (7). Just one generation later, the Israelites stopped worshiping the Lord and worshiped the idols of Baal (11). They turned from obedience to God and violated his covenant. When disciplined, they refused to change (19). How did it come to this? God knew that once his people reached the Promised Land it would be a challenge for them to remain true, so he instructed them to remember all that he had done for them, and systematically teach it to their children (see for example, Exod. 12:24-27). Every generation has to take some degree of responsibility for the next–but ultimately God’s compassion (18) is our greatest hope.
Apply
Do you know of friends or youth who have strayed from their faith? If so, resolve to pray for them.
Closing prayer
Pray for families in your community and thank God he has the power to heal even the most stubborn of us!
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