Good, Bad or Ugly, and Appointed

"Their enemies oppressed them,

and they were brought into subjection under their power." - Psalm 106:42

This psalm is a record of the Israelites disobedience to God, and their following of the detestable ways of the nations around them. When they had completely forsaken the expressed intentions of God and his desire for his people, he gave them over to the nations to which they "played the whore in their deeds." A couple of observations:

God appoints leaders. Leaders are in positions of authority only by the mercies of God. He will cause his plan to unfold, and make his name great with faithful leaders whom he appoints. He will also use faithless leaders to rebuke his people for their faithlessness. God will make his plans unfold, and will appoint the leaders to bring them about. Sometimes that is with mighty men and women of God and sometimes with evil and detestable leaders.

There is no such thing as a leadership void. Someone will always emerge to positions of influence. The void forms for "faithful leadership". God will appoint the leaders, good or bad, for his purposes. The Book of Judges closes with the affirmation that there will always be someone providing leadership, even if it is from and to ourselves "doing what is right in [our] own eyes." There is no void, only a void of faith.

How do we live and lead in faithfulness? Let this be our beginning prayer and meditation each morning when we rise and we presume to wear the mantle of leadership which God has placed about our shoulders:

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!

And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord!" - Psalm 106:48

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