This week we read of a great horror done to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and the horrible response of his sons.
Our study book touched on the effect of close relationships in our lives and how they either encourage us to grow spiritually or they hinder any such growth. For whatever reason Jacob chose to settle among these godless people instead of continuing on in his journey to Bethel or even making the full trek to Hebron. This choice to dwell among evil, invited a great crisis in his life and the life of his family.
Read this passage from 2 Cor. 6:11-7:1
11 O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. 13 Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore
“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you,
and you shall be My sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
I want to dig deeper into #9 in our book and ask, outside of relationships- How does our proximity to evil affect our lives and set us up to have evil done to us, or even for us to do evil? (phones, tv, media, what we do for “fun”, activities, etc.)
To build on #10 for my question- What can you do or STOP DOING to counter any negative effects from these?
Spend some time in prayer and ask God to reveal what may be hindering you in “perfecting holiness” so that you might “cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit”.
What cruelty or evil in the world today particularly bothers you?
How should you think, pray and respond to the pain and destruction of evil in our world?