Thursday, March 31: 2Chronicles 29- Keeping the word alive.

As I read about Hezekiah, I found myself wondering how did he know what the Lord required? How did he know what to do to live faithfully before the Lord? How did he know all this? For 16 years as king, his father had led Judah away from the Lord. It seems reasonable to assume that Ahaz lived a faithless life prior to his coronation as well.  That means that Ahaz’s influence on Hezekiah was negative and faithless from the day of birth. Again I ask, how did Hezekiah know how to live faithfully before the Lord?

As I watched Hezekiah reestablish God-honoring worship and devotion to the Lord, as I listened to the priests respond positively to his leadership, that question nagged in the back of my mind. As I concluded my reading and delighted in the joy expressed in verse 36: Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly. I continued to wonder…

I found no specific answer in the text, yet somehow the Lord maintained His word within the community of Judah.

My thoughts bounded to my life and the thought came, how important it is that I (we) keep God’s Word alive for coming generations? The word of God is essential.  Without it we are left to our own thoughts.  Only God’s Word can give us God’s thoughts.

O, Lord,it is essential that I keep my nose in Your book, that I live it, grow my life around it, and make it the guiding influence for the living of my days. Lord, beyond that how can I keep the nose of succeeding generations in Your book?  It is good to talk about Your Book but it is essential we not only listen to what others say about You and Your Book but that we immerse ourselves in Your book.  Reading, listening, spending time in Your Book needs to be personal.

Help me, Jesus, to stay grounded in Your Word and to use my influence on others to encourage them to remain grounded in Your Word as well. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.

 

 

Wednesday, March 30: 2Chronicles 28

I found nothing particularly redeeming in this chapter. Ahaz was a despicable king in Judah.  Nothing remotely positive is mentioned about his sixteen year reign. Possibly the saddest comment comes late in his life, In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD (22).

I found myself wondering about him and me.  The well worn phrase came multiple times into my thoughts, “But for the grace of God that could be me.”

I don’t know how or why God’s love fills my life and not the lives of others.  However, one thing I do know is that it is not because of anything good I have done or any inherent goodness with in me. It is pure mercy and pure gift… Thank You, Jesus…

Yes, thank You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thank You for saving me, redeeming me and revealing Yourself to me. Were it not for Your action in my life, I could be an Ahaz.  That is a frightening thought, but it is true. Thank You… Bless You. Amen.

 

 

Tuesday, March 29: 2Chronicles 27- What's your 'because'

I found myself asking the Lord what is it here in Jotham’s life that You would like to use to speak into my life? The chapter was short so I read it a second  time.  My eyes seemed to fix on verse 6 and particularly the word ‘because.’ Jotham grew powerful because…

Life offers us many possible ‘becauses.’ Bernie Madoff has been in the news a lot this year due to his ‘Ponsie Scheme’. He became rich and powerful because he cheated people. Muammar Kaddafi has been in the news as he fights to maintain control of Libya. Kaddafi remained in power all these years because he was ruthless. Others rise to power because they are brilliant or are innovators, like Gates and Jobs. There are hundreds of ‘becauses.’

Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before to the Lord his God (6).

Everyone of us has a because. We may not rise to world prominence but we build our lives on some foundation, our ‘because.’ God asks, “What’s your ‘because’? Upon what foundation are building your life?”

O, God, help me to emulate Jotham who walked steadfastly before You. Lord, ‘walked’ suggests that he lived in relationship with You and steadfastly tells me he kept at it.  He was diligent. Like Jotham, I pray that my life is spent connected to You and that I remain with You all the days of my life. Lord, I know I need the presence of the Holy Spirit and the strength to listen when He speaks.  Grant me this I pray, in Jesus name. Amen.

 

Monday, March 28: 2Chronicles 26- The problem of pride.

 

One of the Proverbs that I know by heart is Proverbs 16:18: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. I guess I have committed it to memory because it offers such practical advice about life. King Uzziah, the subject of today’s chapter, is an example of the veracity of Proverbs 16:18.

Uzziah was faithful and God blessed him mightily, but as his power and influence grew, apparently so did his pride. Verse 16 puts it like this: But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.

Pride is dangerous, when we (I) think too much of ourselves, we are setting ourselves up for a fall…

No surprise where the Lord took me today in my time with Him. He asked me to look inside and to assess and check my pride. It might be a good move for you, too.

Lord, thank You for the gifts and abilities and opportunities You have given to me. I pray that I hold all Your gifts loosely, remembering they are from You and not of me. I pray too, Lord, that I give life everything I have, serving You for Kingdom’s sake. Amen.

 

Saturday, March 26: 2Chronicles 25- Not wholeheartedly

My eyes lit on verse 2 as I began reading. As the events of the chapter unfolded, the words of verse 2 clung to my heart. Amaziah did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly. It was those final two words the glued to my thoughts… not wholeheartedly.

Yes, they characterized Amaziah whose life seemed to be parceled into two distinct sections, faithful and unfaithful. Yet it wasn’t long before those two words, not wholeheartedly, hung like a mirror over my own life. I realized that they likely characterized my life as well. What about you?

I replaced Amaziah’s name with my own and stared at the new verse 2: Bill did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly. Sadly they seemed to fit. Unlike Amaziah, my life wasn’t compartmentalized into two sections. Instead my life looked more like a garden with flowers bursting forth in many places. Yet scattered throughout were ugly weeds, pernicious, invasive, and always seeming about to take over if I don’t constantly root them out.

Again I ask… how about you?

These thoughts ushered me into prayer…

O, God, forgive me and my lack of wholeheartedness. Forgive my sin –which is many- and purify me from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9). Cleanse me that I might be whiter than snow; and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me (Ps 51).

Lord Jesus, help me tackle and control the impulses to sin so that I might live wholeheartedly for You, the Father and the Spirit. In Your name I pray. Amen.

 

 

Friday, March 25: 2Chronicles 24- Faithful throughout his life.

Although it is normal to focus on King Joash, I found myself considering the life of Jehoiada, the priest. Jehoiada and his wife risked their lives to hide Joash from his deranged grandmother when he was a baby. Raising him 6-years under constant threat, Jehoiada sensed from the Lord that when Joash was 7, it was time to crown him the rightful king. He then proceeded to advise and counsel King Joash the rest of his days, dying at 130! At his death the people of Jerusalem honored his faithfulness by burying him with the kings in the City of David (15).

In addition to serving as faithful priest and advisor to the king, Jehoiada also raised a faithful son, Zechariah, who followed in his father’s footsteps,  speaking God’s Word to the crown.

The text doesn’t comment on Jehoiada’s fathering prowess but the faithfulness of his son is clear in the text.  I am taking some ‘reader’s license’ and reading between the lines.

My thoughts and meditations flash between faithfulness in life’s call and faithfulness in one’s family. There shouldn’t be a divide between these two but often, sadly, there is. Heroes for God sometimes overlook their families. David, a man after God’s own heart, had a dysfunctional family.

Watching and meditating on Jehoiada gives me an example of a man who managed both career and family with grace, class and faithfulness.  That is something I aspire to do…

Lord God, thank You for including Jehoiada in Your scriptures. Lord, I pray that I, too, might live all my days faithfully before You, choosing faithfulness even at the risk of my life, and choosing faithfulness over profit or fame or worldly pleasure. Also, Lord, I pray that I live in such a way that I inspire my children to live faithfully before You as well.

Lord, I don’t know where life will take me or how long a life You have ordained for me to live. I pray that my life inspires others to walk with You. May my life bring You honor and glory… through my sovereign Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.

 

Thursday, March 24: 2Chronicles 23- Kairos time.

The last few years I have been learning about ‘kairos time.’ Kairos is one Greek word that we translate in English as ‘time.’ Kairos is not the kind of time we get from our watches or calendars (that is ‘chronos’ as in chronometer or chronology), instead it means season or the ‘right time’ to do something or ‘God’s time’ to do something.

As I was reading this chapter about the coronation of Joash, I kept thinking, “This is a perfect example of kairos time.” For all the moving parts to fall into place perfectly shows that God was on the move, orchestrating things behind the scene. Joash was old enough to be accepted and received by the people as king (although I cannot imagine being 7 and king!). Jehoiada was able to stealthily orchestrate all of the arrangements and Athalia, the queen, was oblivious to all the actions.  Looking back as the chronicler does shows how everything aligned and Jehoiada also followed obediently God’s promptings. 

The text is silent but I wondered what told Jehoiada that it was the right time.  How did he process the Lord’s nudgings? And this caused me to consider God’s voice in my life.  Am I listening for God’s promptings and when they come do, I follow?

Lord, may my ears and eyes be open to the things You want to show me today.  Lead me and direct me, so that I may walk faithfully with You, doing everything You would have me do today and all my todays. Lord, keep me observant for your ‘kairos’ moments in my life… Your moment to speak with a friend about Jesus or Your moment to encourage someone or make a call because ‘so and so’ in on my mind. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.