'At that time, Judah
left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah,'
(Genesis 38:1). This is the beginning of a sordid tale. Like Reuben, Judah was
distressed at the fact that his brothers wanted to kill their brother Joseph,
(Gen 37:26,27). Maybe his disappointment with them was why he left. Whatever
their faults, they were his brothers, but Judah chose to leave their company to
make his home among the Canaanites.
Many a young person has
left home with a desire to get away from family influence and do what they
desire, to live a life that perhaps their family would be none too pleased
with. The story of the prodigal son is but one example. Perhaps there are those
reading this who recognise themselves? How many of us, I wonder, have had to
come to God at some point and joined David in praying:-
'Remember
not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your great love
remember me, for you are good, O Lord.' Psalm 25:7 ?
I know I have. Having
initially responded positively to God when I was quite young, in my teenage
years I rejected what the Lord desired for my life. A wasted my twenties when I
could have been influencing my peers for him. Truth is, I rebelled. This
resulted in a loss of the joy I once had and eventually, (unable to live the
lie any more), leaving my church, The Salvation Army. I praise God that he
would not give up pursuing me and, at 30 years of age, I surrendered to his
persistent love and experienced his wonderful mercy and forgiveness. I also
discovered that he still had a wonderful plan set out for my life.
Judah made foolish
choices that were to result in disastrous consequences. Having become friends
and moved in with Hirah the Adullamite, he unwisely married a Canaanite woman,
something his father Jacob would never have approved of. Many leave church,
make their home elsewhere, and live lives so different to what God desired for
them, through disappointment with church leaders or fellow worshippers. 'O Lord,
please help us never to be the cause of such disappointment. Amen' God bless
you all.
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