Psalm 78:56-64

56 But they kept testing and rebelling against God Most High. They did not obey his laws.
57 They turned back and were as faithless as their parents. They were as undependable as a crooked bow.
58 They angered God by building shrines to other gods; they made him jealous with their idols.
59 When God heard them, he was very angry, and he completely rejected Israel.
60 Then he abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh, the Tabernacle where he had lived among the people.
61 He allowed the Ark of his might to be captured; he surrendered his glory into enemy hands.
62 He gave his people over to be butchered by the sword, because he was so angry with his own people—his special possession.
63 Their young men were killed by fire; their young women died before singing their wedding songs.
64 Their priests were slaughtered, and their widows could not mourn their deaths.

"Then God abandoned his dwelling place at Shiloh."

How bad does it have to get before God finally says "I've had enough?" We're told they continued testing and rebelling against God...refusing to obey him." I don't know exactly when that point is, but I think we should be very concerned about it. When God decides to turn us over to the natural consequences of our rebellion we have no protection against the slings and arrows of our enemies.

It really becomes a jungle out there. I have no interest in fighting for survival every day. It's tough enough when I am counting on God as my defense.

This is how God has always worked with His people: when we obey he gets involved with all the considerable power at his disposal. When we insist on going our own way God sits on the sidelines and watches us muddle along...often with disastrous results. It's our choice. Only our pride prevents us from going to our bench and asking for help.

I seem to have to relearn this regularly. My experience has always been that God is never more than prayer away. When He returns my life regains purpose and meaning. The problem is...the longer I wait, the more rubble I have to clean up. We can clean our house daily or we can clean it a couple of times a year. We both know which plan takes the most work. Plus, at some point the mess is no longer fun to live with. Be smarter than that.

Live boldly out there today...