Radically Happy

Obedience is the first and last duty, because it is the gateway to relationship.
First to receive, then to surrender.

These were the days when there was no king ruling in Israel. Now there was a Levite who lived in the remote hill country of Ephraim. He took as his mistress a woman from Bethlehem in Judah, but she eventually was unfaithful. She deserted him and returned to her father’s house in Bethlehem where she stayed for four months.
The Levite set out with his servant and a pair of donkeys to find her, win back her heart, and try to persuade her to return home with him. She received him into her father’s house, and when the girl’s father saw him, he received him warmly. His father-in-law, the girl’s father, pressed him to stay, so the Levite stayed with him three days, and they ate and drank together.
On the fourth day, early in the morning, he started to leave, but his father-in-law, the girl’s father, insisted, “Eat something first to give you strength for your journey; then you can leave.” After the two of them sat down and had breakfast together, the girl’s father said to the Levite, “You might as well stay overnight and enjoy yourself.” The Levite started to leave, but his mistress’ father kept urging him to stay until he turned back and spent another night there.
Early in the morning of the fifth day, he was about to leave when the girl’s father said, “Come, have breakfast.” They ate together and lingered there until past noon. Then the Levite, his mistress, and his attendant started to leave. But his mistress’ father said to him, “Look, the day is almost gone; stay another night here and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow, you can start early on your journey and head for home.” But the Levite refused; he and his two donkeys, his servant, and his mistress set out and traveled as far as the vicinity of Jebus—that is, Jerusalem.
Late in the day, they were near Jebus, and the servant said to his master, “Let’s go into this town of the Jebusites and spend the night there.” His master said to him, “No. They are not of Israel. We will not enter a town of foreigners. We will go on to Gibeah. Come,” he said to his attendant, “we’ll go to another town and spend the night either in Gibeah or in Ramah.” So they traveled on, and as the sun set, they were near Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin.‭‭

Judges‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭14‬ ‭TPT‬‬