Wednesday, February 28: 2Chronicles 22- When life is darkest God is still at work.

These are bleak days for Israel. Faithlessness is rampant. Treachery and murder dominate life. Sad, so very sad.

The depravity of the day struck me in the opening sentence. The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram’s youngest son, king in his place, since the raiders, who came with the Arabs into the camp, had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign (1).

The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah… king. Where is the guidance from the Lord? As we read on, this is obviously the expedient decision, but it is also clear that there was no turning to the Lord for guidance.

How often do I make the expedient or obvious decision without even an inkling of seeking the Lord’s advice? Is that any different than the people of Judah in this case?

For Israel things move from bad to worse as Ahaziah solidifies his connection with the house of Ahab. Faithless leaders make faithless decisions.,

Even in the midst of the treachery and mayhem, following Ahaziah’s death, the Lord is at work upholding His covenant with Israel and bringing life out of death. The chapter ends with a hint of hope as Joash is hidden and protected in the Temple.

That is so like the Lord.  Even when life is darkest, He is at work preserving His people and remembering His promises.

There is much darkness in our world, but that does not mean the work of the Lord is extinguished. God’s light is still burning and those of us with His light within need to step up and live heroically as Jehosheba, and her husband the priest Jehoiada, did (see verse 11).

At this point I pause to pray…

Lord, is there some action You want me to take to correct a wrong or confront an injustice or save someone in need or preserve Your truth? Show me, Lord, lead me, Lord… and if not today, I surrender myself to You to deploy me for Your good at any time. I am Yours, assign me as You will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

 

Tuesday, February 27: 2Chronicles 21- He passed away, to no one's regret .

      Verse 20 concludes that may be the worst thing that could be said about anyone... He passed away, to no one’s regret.

That statement seems even worse given the fact that Jehoram reigned as king for 8 years. Nothing he did added any value to his country or his people. Yikes.

On a number of occasions I have read a line about someone and thought, that would make a great epitaph on a tombstone. The comment about Jehoram is the exact opposite. I shudder at the thought that anyone would have this said about them... he/she passed away, to no one’s regret.

Those words cause me to pause and ask, “How is my life benefiting others?” This is not an ego question but rather a question of life’s substance.

Have you ever asked yourself, “How is my life benefitting others?” It’s worth the ask...

Lord, I submit to You and I pray that my life lived in Your power is a blessing to others. I pray this in Jesu’s name. Amen.

 

Monday, February 26: 2Chronicles 20- Rooted faith trusts God .

The way in which Jehoshaphat handled his next crisis, the invasion by multiple armies, tells me that his return to the Lord in Chapter 19 was real, that faith had rooted firmly in his heart. I am encouraged by the faith he displayed as he stood before the people and rallied them to the Lord.

Rooted faith trusts God.

Rooted faith is visible to others.

Rooted faith encourages others.

The last verses, however, produce a chink in my enthusiasm. In his last years Jehoshaphat falls back into a sin of his youth. Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose ways were wicked. He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships. After these were built at Ezion Geber, Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade (35-37). 

I am reminded to NEVER become complacent in my faith. None of us will be perfectly faithful this side of eternity. And I am encouraged that Jehoshaphat is described a king who followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD (32).  But I am duly warned that sin can rise to bite us at any time, so my only defense if vigilance –a continual seeking after the Lord, studded with honest confession and repentance.

Spurred by this thought I pray…

Oh, Lord, look deep within me and see where there is lingering sin. Root it out, Oh, Lord. Show me my weak areas so that I may admit them and lay them before You honestly.

Forgive my sin; cleanse me from the inside out so that my life might be a beacon of Your love to others. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Saturday, February 24: 2Chronicles 19.

I felt vindicated for my thoughts yesterday when I read the opening of chapter 19. When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is on you. There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God” (1-3). The Lord called Jehoshaphat on his mixed loyalties.

It seemed that this conversation with the Lord was a spiritual wakeup call for Jehoshaphat, who responded by calling the people back to the Lord.

I began wondering about how I respond to the Lord’s rebuke. Am I willing to change my heart and ways and return to the Lord or do I brood?

This week we had opposite examples in Asa and Jehoshaphat.  Confronted by the Lord, Asa turned his heart from God; Jehoshaphat turned to the Lord.

As I penned the above God said to me, “Whose example will you follow?”

I pray I follow Jehoshaphat. I pray I always turn back to the Lord when I stumble and fall and someone shows me God’s way…

How about you? How do you respond to the Lord’s rebuke?

Oh, God, soften my heart to You. And when you place a plumb line upon my life and find I am out of square, send Your Holy Spirit to help me turn back to You and NEVER away from You. I need Your help, Oh Lord, for I am a mere fallen human being, broken and sin filled. And apart from YOU I can do no good thing. Help me, Lord God. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Friday, February 23: 2Chronicles 18 Who are you allying yourself with?.

Why would Jehoshaphat ally himself with Ahab? Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage (1). I cannot fathom this. Jehoshaphat was faithful and Ahab was the epitome of faithlessness.  Even if somehow the Israel brotherhood was strong for Jehoshaphat, as the story continues, he had plenty of evidence that Ahab was not walking with the Lord. For example verse 6: But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?”

I kept wondering, why Jehoshaphat wouldn’t back out gracefully once Ahab’s true colors began to show? At least he pressed the issue and had a true prophet come in. After that, why would he continue? I have so many questions.

As I meditate on this, I began to scan my life wondering how often I continue in some kind of a business or working relationship with someone who shows their colors as someone like Ahab… feigning faith but serving another god. It is much easier seeing problematic ways in other people’s lives than seeing it in my life.

I am pleased that the Lord continues to protect and watch over Jehoshaphat particularly when he called out to the Lord (see 31-32).  However, that doesn't excuse him for being in that situation in the first place.  I certainly don't want to presume on the Lord to save me if I am foolishly diving into an ‘empty pool.’

I am also wondering if this association with Ahab will rise up and create problems in the future.

Associations are vital to our growth and are sometimes a key factor in our fall…

Lord, help me to be honest about my associations and to do so with my ears open to Your voice and whisperings. Protect me where I am weak or off base and help me cement those relationships that will help me grow closer to You. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen

 

Thursday, February 22: 2Chronicles 17- What are you doing for the Lord?.

Jehoshphat, Asa’s son, was faithful to the Lord. This was my big take-a-way from the chapter. As I sat with that thought I began to see that Jehoshphat’s faithfulness translated into action. Verse 6 helped crystalize this for me. His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.

As I chewed on this God seemed to whisper to me, “Bill, where is your faith driving action in your life? Where is your belief in Me causing you to live differently than people who don’t believe in Me?”

And this led me to take an inventory of my life, which I will not journal for all to see. As I pondered my inventory, many, even most of the items I listed I have been doing for years, some since I was a babe in Christ…

It was at that point that the Lord raised the stakes some and queried me again, “Bill, where are some new places or what are some new actions you can do that reveal My life in yours?”

I don’t have immediate answers to this query by the Lord. And this drove me to prayer…

Lord, to copy Isaiah, ‘here am I send me’. Lord, open my eyes to things that break Your heart and break mine and send me forth…. Amen.

 

Wednesday, February 21: 2Chronicles 16- So sad.

My heart trembles as I read this chapter… How can someone so faithful become so hard against the Lord? I knew it was difficult to receive a rebuke from the Lord, but Asa seemed to shut his heart to the Lord. The line at the end was particularly sad for me to read… Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians (12). He did not and apparently he would not seek help from the Lord. Oh, my!

I never quite understand the journey from faithfulness to faithlessness… but at the same time I feel a sense of warning. If Asa could fall any of us can fall, and more to the point, I could fall. And this scares me and drives me to my knees…

O God, protect me. Keep me safe. I throw myself on Your mercy. Lord, I cling to You and I hold to the Word particularly in Romans 8:28-30: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Lord, I hold to the truth You will see me to glory. I love You, Lord, and I praise You as my Savior, Lord and Redeemer. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.