Judges 6:1-6: a reflection

1The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, so the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made themselves the dens which are in the mountains, the caves, and the strongholds. 3So it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the children of the east came up against them. 4They encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, until you come to Gaza. They left no sustenance in Israel, and no sheep, ox, or donkey. 5For they came up with their livestock and their tents. They came in as locusts for multitude. Both they and their camels were without number; and they came into the land to destroy it. 6Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried to the LORD.

When Israel does evil and is given over to the oppression of Midian, the affliction is severe: for seven years the enemy destroys their crops, leaves them nothing, drives them to hide in caves, until Israel is brought very low. And it is out of this depth that they finally turn back to God: Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried to the LORD. The affliction that had come because of their sin became the very thing that drove them back to God; being brought low made them cry out to him at last. What their prosperity had not done, their being brought low did: it turned them back to crying out to God.

Notice how being brought low turned Israel back to God. In their prosperity, they had done evil and drifted from God; it took being brought very low, afflicted and desperate, to turn them back. The affliction was hard, the fruit of their own sin; yet it accomplished what their comfort had not, driving them to cry out to God. Being brought low can be, in God's hand, a mercy, the very thing that turns us back to him when comfort would not. Israel cried to the LORD from the depth of their affliction; being brought low made them seek the God they had drifted from. The low place became the place of turning; their affliction drove them to cry out.

That is worth taking to heart, for God can use our being brought low to turn us back to crying out to him. We can drift from God in our comfort and prosperity, and it can take being brought low, afflicted, desperate, to turn us back to him; the low place drives us to cry out where comfort did not. Being brought low, hard as it is, can be a mercy that turns us back to God. When you are brought low and desperate, do not only lament the affliction; let it drive you to cry out to God, as Israel cried to the LORD from the depth of their oppression. Let your being brought low drive you to cry out to God rather than only lamenting it, as Israel, brought very low by Midian, cried to the LORD; for God can use the low place to turn us back to him when comfort would not, and being brought low can be a mercy that drives us to cry out to the God we had drifted from.

Lord, when Israel does evil and is given over to the oppression of Midian, the affliction is severe: for seven years the enemy destroys their crops, leaves them nothing, drives them to hide in caves, until Israel is brought very low. And it is out of this depth that they finally turn back to you: Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried to the LORD. The affliction that had come because of their sin became the very thing that drove them back to you. Show me how being brought low turned Israel back to you. In their prosperity, they had done evil and drifted from you; it took being brought very low, afflicted and desperate, to turn them back. The affliction was hard, the fruit of their own sin; yet it accomplished what their comfort had not, driving them to cry out to you. Being brought low can be, in your hand, a mercy, the very thing that turns us back to you when comfort would not. Israel cried to you from the depth of their affliction. The low place became the place of turning. Take that to my heart, for you can use my being brought low to turn me back to crying out to you. I can drift from you in my comfort and prosperity, and it can take being brought low, afflicted, desperate, to turn me back to you; the low place drives me to cry out where comfort did not. Being brought low, hard as it is, can be a mercy. When I am brought low and desperate, keep me from only lamenting the affliction; let it drive me to cry out to you, Lord, as Israel cried to you from the depth of their oppression.