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Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her.
Genesis 34:1-2 esv
Our eyes can get us into trouble. In this instance, we see Dinah going to see the women of the land. Perhaps it was curiosity or companionship that led her to the foreigners. Regardless of the reason, there were instructions that they(Israelites) were not supposed to mix (Canaanites). This means that Dinah placed herself in a situation that made her vulnerable to attack.
Looking at things may seem harmless, but it can open your heart and mind to discontentment, jealousy, and mistrust in God. When we look, we begin to compare. We stoke the fire of jealousy in our souls. We try to rank ourselves against others instead of understanding that we all have a unique role in the body of Christ. And that leads to questioning God, asking why someone else has a house, car, children, etc. and we don’t. Or questioning why we are having to wait or endure dry/wilderness seasons when someone else is not. We begin to see God as this inconsistent being withholding good things from His children. As our trust in God waivers, we are perfect targets for the enemy to attack.
This is a reminder that God is good and holy. He truly wants what is best for us. He intends to fill our lives with His goodness. The problem is we fail to see it when we’re looking at someone else. When faced with discontentment, the very next question should be,’do I believe that God is good?’ Because if we truly believe that God is good, then He is not withholding anything good from His children. His timing is perfect. His love for us is too great to give us something we’re not ready for. The key is to trust God’s sovereignty and not our sight.
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The Beatitudes 20 And He raised His eyes toward His disciples and began saying, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 Blessed are you when the people hate you, and when they exclude you, and insult you, and scorn your
I have been lost a time or two. Usually, because I got distracted and wandered off the intended path. Whatever sparked my interest was enough to cause me to lose sight of my intended destination. In this passage, we find Jesus as a child, so focused on His Father’s business that he wanders off from his parents. In my own life, I’ve found that I’m not prone to wander towards my father’s business….but away from it.
As a child, nothing compared to the excitement of being able to sit up and waiting for New Year’s Day. We’d sit up as long as possible on December 31st awaiting the coming year. We knew what was coming, yet we had to watch the clock or we’d miss it. In this passage, Jesus reminds us of the signs before his second coming. He teaches that in order to recognize the second coming, we must stay alert. These verses prompt us to be mindful of the state of our hearts and to stay ready at all times for the coming day of God’s judgment.
REFLECTION – Do you find yourself growing weary in your walk with the Lord? How can you stay encouraged and ready for Jesus Christ’s second coming?
I know that most people are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, but December always reminds me to slow down and reflect. It’s something about the cold weather that forces me to cozy up and sit still… I believe the stillness opens
If you or someone close to you is in need, we would be honored to lift you up in prayer. We believe in the power of prayer to bring peace, comfort, and reassurance during times of hardship. Our community is ready to join together and pray as we trust in God’s love and unending grace.
