Monday, February 12: 2Chronicles 8- Small deviations can become large problems.

 

Recently I have been reading the story of the US Apollo Moon Project. It was an incredible story of human ingenuity, grit, determination and some fortuitous ‘luck.’ To reach the moon astronauts would have to perform routine mid-course corrections, small rocket firings at precise times to keep the spacecraft on the correct trajectory. Given the vast distance between the earth and the moon even a small degree off course meant that the spacecraft would miss its orbit by 10s of thousands of miles. Small deviations can become large problems.

Reading this chapter I noticed seemingly incidental small deviations from God’s stated will. Although they didn’t seem like much, I know that in the history of Israel they created significant problems.

In verse 11, Solomon brings his wife, Pharaoh’s daughter, to the palace he built for her saying, “My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the LORD has entered are holy.” As I read this I wondered, “What about God’s injunction not to marry foreign women??? Didn’t this count for a king?” Of course it did.  And yet, matter of fact, the text announced what Solomon did.

No correction, no recognition that this was not God’s will and over time this small sin grew into a large problem for Solomon who was led astray by his many pagan wives.

Then in verses 7-8 we read how Solomon continued to force the foreign people who were never conquered in the land. There were still people left from the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these people were not Israelites). Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these people remaining in the land—whom the Israelites had not destroyed—to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day (7-8). What Solomon did with them seemed wise but I wondered why didn’t God command Israel to take the land way back in Joshua. Israel never completed that task… and these peoples were constantly a snare for Israel.

Another small deviation from God’s announced will that became a major problem.

Finally, I needed to turn to myself… “Am I allowing small deviations from God’s announced will to linger in my life?” If so, they can become snares for me creating larger problems in my life. The answer is mid-course corrections, which in my spiritual life means self-examination, repentance and confession. Never fun. Always spiritually worthwhile…

Think about it.

Open my eyes, Lord, and help me to see myself for who I am… to face my failings and to confess them to You. Help me to live, understanding that spiritual mid-course corrections are what will get me home safely. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.