A Curve Ball In Life

Judges 11:29-37
29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites. 30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD : "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."

32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break."

36 "My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me just as you promised, now that the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. 37 But grant me this one request," she said. "Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry."


Sometimes the Lord throws a curve ball at our lives. Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and later finds that he has to sacrifice his only daughter for the Lord. The Lord may not make you sacrifice your daughter for Him, but he may take your life in a direction that you don't want to go. He may lead you away from your own plans, and plans to prosper you.

I know that God has great plans for me. I need His strength to follow Him. I know that it will be tough and sometimes I don't want to do it, but I want to be able to go where the Lord tells me to go and do what the Lord tells me to do.

Father, I thank you for your words here. I know that you will lead me to great places and to do many great things. Lord, I pray that I take faith in you Lord and go and follow you. Like Jesus's apostles, they left what they did and followed you. Lord, let me be able to follow you with all my heart. I pray this in Christ Jesus name.
Amen.