Video of the Day: Clip from the 1974 movie “Jaws”
Bible Verse of the Day:
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 timbrels! 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 no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break,” Judges 11:30-35.
Biblical Connection:
The film Jaws is based upon the Peter Benchley novel. Benchley’s Jaws was inspired by the 1916 shark attacks at the Jersey Shore. While the attacks in New Jersey were by bull sharks, the movie Jaws used a great white shark as the villain in the beach town of Amity Island. As fear spread throughout the local beaches, two kids thought it would be funny to snorkel with a fake shark fin.
After an emotional victory in battle, Jephthah felt compelled to honor the Lord. Rather than reflect on how he wanted to thank the Lord, Jephthah made a brash decision. Taking his vow seriously, the only creature to greet Jephthah was his daughter. Just as the practical joke in Jaws was bad timing, sometimes even Christians make careless decisions which affect other people.
Closing Song:
Sometimes human beings force than issue rather than wait on the Lord. The next time you get emotional, remember the sad story of Jephthah’s daughter so that you don’t let bad timing get the best of you.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 