Lukewarm Followers of God

Reading:  II Chronicles 21 - 27
My Verse:  "He did right in the LORD's sight, but not with a perfect or blameless heart" (25:2).

In this reading we see three dreadfully evil kings  and four lukewarm kings of Judah.

What is so amazing to me is that the three evil kings met such awful ends.

King Jehoram immediately killed off his own brothers, did much evil and ended up dying of a horrible bowel disease.  Then his son, King Ahaziah "did what was evil int he sight of the LORD" and was killed as You ordained by Jehu.  Hearing of his death, Athaliah, his mother, "destroyed all the royal family of Judah" that she would reign.  She was slain by her own army captains.

Then we have the four lukewarm kings.  King Joash started off with much fervor for You, LORD God.  But once his mentor and guide, his uncle Jehoida died, Joash was easily swayed by the "princes of Judah" and he "listened to them" and "abandoned the house of the LORD." He ended up dying at the hands of conspirators.

Joash's son, King Amaziah followed You LORD God but "not with his whole heart."  After a great battle in which You gave him the victory he "brought the gods of the men of Seir and set them up as his gods and worshiped them" (25:14).  He too was killed by conspirators, "from the time when he turned away from the LORD they made a conspiracy against him" (25:27).

King Uzziah, Amaziah's son, "when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction" (26:16).  He entered the temple and burned incense.  When confronted by the priests that this was wrong he became very angry.  Immediately, You Lord God struck him with leprosy.  He had leprosy until his death.  Jotham, his son took over.  It is said of Jotham; "So Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God" (27:6). Yet little else is said of him and "the people still followed corrupt practices" (27:2).  King Jotham did not remove the "high places" where idols were worshipped.

It is  interesting that the kings did not seem to look back at those that reigned before them, especially those who did evil and met such dreadful ends!  Also it is interesting that the kings that partly followed You, did not seem to learn from Your blessings on them when they were following You.  When things were going well they so easily slip away into sin - living for themselves and shutting You out.

Dear, LORD God, thank You for showing me how very easy it is to do that, to fall away from You - to become a lukewarm follower of You.  You definitely do not want lukewarm followers!

You, LORD Jesus said that the first and most important commandment is: "And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30)!

Help me in this LORD God! I pray Psalm 119:10 to You.
   "With my whole heart I seek you;
        let me not wander from your commandments!"

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

The Battle Is Not Yours, But God's!

Reading:  II Chronicles 13 - 20
My Verse:  "He said, Hearken, all Judah, you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat.  The LORD says this to you;  Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's" (20:15).

This is a most wonderful revelation to the people of Jerusalem.  For "a great multitude has come against"  them.  They were in dire need.  I love how King Jehoshaphat came to You, LORD God with this need.  He said, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You" (20:12).  And so You told them the battle was not theirs but Yours!

After You told them not to be afraid because the battle was not their's, You then tell them to go and face the enemy.  But then you tell them they are not to fight, they are to simply "stand still and see the deliverance of the LORD!"  What an incredibly difficult thing to do!

A few years back when with a ladies bible study group this was a topic we often discussed.  This need for us to be in control.  Letting go of that control is extremely hard.  To simply "stand still" is something one has to learn.  It requires great faith in You, LORD God.  It requires that we realize just Who You are and exactly who we are.

So often - too often - I feel that You are having to pry my fingers one by one off my determined need to hang onto control.  And this is after I have asked You to take control, I am unable to easily give it up!  I love how JJ Heller deals with this in her song - Control.

Yet, there can be such release to do as You say and let You fight the battle.  

     "Be still, and know that I am God.
        I will be exalted among the nations,
        I will be exiled in the earth!" (Psalms 46:10)

LORD God thank You for this much needed reminder of my need to let You take on my battles!  I just need so much help here - "to stand still and see the deliverance of the LORD!"

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

This Thing Is From Me!

Reading:  II Chronicles 10 - 12
My Verse:  "Thus says the LORD:  You shall not go up or fight against your brethren.  Return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.  And they obeyed the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam" (11:4).

So we are at a sad juncture of Israel's history.  Solomon, while he had a magnificent kingdom, his people did suffer under his reign(10:4).  Solomon went beyond what was necessary to acquire wealth.  If he had only trusted in Your promise to him (II Chronicles 1:12), he would not have had to oppress the people to be wealthy.  And now because King Solomon followed after his own heart rather than Yours, LORD God, You are bringing to pass the punishment You said You would (II Chronicles 7:14 - 22).  King Rehoboam is told here that the rebellion of the half of the kingdom was from You, LORD God!  He was not to attack them, because "this thing is from Me!"

It is so sad that we often bring upon ourselves sorrow, pain and heartache - because we follow after our own heart's desire.  Then we fret about the pain, the misery we find ourselves in.  LORD God You want for us to have a life that is safe, nourished, rich and full.

"I am the Door; anyone who entered in through Me will be saved . . .  
   He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture. . .
   I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance . . .  (John 10:9 - 10).

King Rehoboam, Solomon's son did not give You his heart.  Only when he found himself in a desperate situation did he relent and humble himself before You.  (12:5,6)  But even after You, LORD God relented and saved him from his trouble, he went back to living for himself.  Sadly King Rehoboam is recorded as one of those kings that did evil.  "And he did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD with all his desire" (12:14).

In Psalms 37:4 You tell us to "Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He will give you the desire and secret petitions of your heart."

You promise to guide us and lead us but we need to allow You to do that!
  "Let be and be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).

It is only then that You can lead and guide us.
   "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go;  I will counsel you with my eye upon you"(Psalm 32:8).

LORD God, I do not need to be fearful of those words - this thing is from Me!  I need to allow You to truly be my Good Shepherd!  Please help me in this!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Corrupted Blessing!

Reading:  II Chronicles 8 - 9
My Verse:  "King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom" (9:22).

This is like a fairy tale.  Reading of all Solomon's wealth is amazing.  You, LORD God had told him that you would not only give him wisdom but wealth as well. (II Chronicles 1:11 - 12).
And yet, Solomon, became a bit obsessed with the accumulation of wealth.  He went after things You had warned against.  Solomon seems to have forgotten Your promise to him.  He corrupted Your blessing!

In Deuteronomy 17:16, 17 You give a very specific caution to the kings of Israel.  "Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses."  Yet this is exactly what Solomon did.  "And they imported horses for Solomon from Egypt and from all lands" (9:28).

One wonders if Solomon thought himself exempt from this particular requirement.  One wonders - what was Solomon thinking?

Just recently a well known politician and his wife were arraigned/charged with taking money and expensive gifts for favors.  I watched some analysts speaking of this.  And that was their question - what was the guy thinking?  What is this fascination with splashy, expensive things like Rolex watches and designer dresses?  The guy was apparently very well liked.  It was thought he might run for the presidency, but he allowed greed to take over his better judgement.  It is tragic.

Are we so very shallow and selfish, LORD God?  I know that wealth in and of itself is not a bad thing.  It is what wealth does to us.  We tend to corrupt everything good, as Solomon and the politician did.

Without You in our lives we are lost.

"The heart is deceitful above all things,
   and desperately sick;
   who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)

"For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery"(Mark 7:21).

And yet, You, LORD God desire only to heal our sinful corrupted hearts!

"But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds," declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 30:17).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Not A One Way Relationship!

Reading:  II Chronicles 1 - 7
My Verse:  "As for you[Solomon], if you will walk before me as David your father walked . . . Then I will establish the throne of your kingdom . . . But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments . . . Then I will pluck up by the roots out of My land . . ." (7:18 - 20).

Solomon made a grand and seemingly sincere prayer to You, LORD God in dedicating the completed temple. You, LORD God then spell out very clearly the covenant between You and Solomon and the people.  You make it very clear that they, Solomon and the people have a part to play in the relationship.  Yes, You are there for them.  Yes, You will answer their sincere prayers but they must do their part by submitting their hearts to You!  This is not a one way relationship!

 It is interesting how Solomon ended his prayer, "O LORD God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one!  Remember your steadfast love for David your servant" (6:42).

Do not turn away the face of your anointed one?  Does Solomon have a premonition of his falling away from You, LORD God?  Is Solomon asking You to keep him from doing that?

I know that after I had asked You LORD God to forgive me and be my Savior, I prayed this often.  I saw so many "Christians" falling away into their old lives, lives that did not include You.  So I definitely understand this prayer.  I understood that I was incapable on my own of staying the course.  Philiippians 1:6 was my lifeline!  "And I am sure of this that He who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Yet I knew that I did have a part in this relationship.  It is one of those hard to understand concepts.  I knew I had to keep myself turned towards You, but that I had to depend on You to help me to do that!

This is what we don't see in Solomon's life.   I see no record of Solomon ever asking You to forgive him. I see no record of him humbling himself before You as did his father David.  Solomon seemed to have a long slow slide from Your fellowship.   His lifestyle was one of such extravagance and splendor.  It was a life of much accumulating of wealth and the adoration of those around him.  He kept doing all those things You expressly told him not to do - the acquiring of many wives, and "serving and worshipping" other gods.

Solomon lead a life many admired.  He was considered the wisest and wealthiest king to have ever lived.  And yet in the end his final conclusion was so very sad.

     "I have seen everything that is done under the sun, 
        and behold
        all is vanity and a striving after wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

LORD God, help  me to be ever cognizant of the fact that my relationship with You is a two way relationship.  I must ever keep my eyes lifted up!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

An Active Adversary!

Reading:  I Chronicles 17 - 29
My Verse:  "Satan [an adversary] stood up against Israel and stirred up David to number Israel" (I Chronicles 21:1).

Verses like this always pop out at me.  They tell me of how very active an adversary Satan and his minions are!  I can never be lackadaisical in my walk with You, LORD God.  I will never reach a point where I am "safe" from falling into disobedient sin.  Here is one such example of this in the disobedience of King David.  And this occurred in his later years - a time when one would think he would be so very wise and sensitive to Your leading.  A time when he should have been very aware of the activity of the adversary and the susceptibility of our falling to temptation.

We don't know the circumstances here but David gets this idea of wanting to know the strength of his country.  This sudden desire speaks of David's impetuousness.   Pride has crept into David's life. The indication is that David may be presumptively planning war strategy without his LORD God's direction.  He has had such success and so it is very easy to start to take credit for the success one has been experiencing.  It becomes easy to start making one's own plans.

David was even warned that this was wrong.  His general Joab tried to talk him out of doing this. (21:3)  Yet, David insisted.  In carrying this out Joab left out Levi and Benjamin "for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab"(9:21).

You, LORD God brought plague upon Israel as punishment.  David pleaded for forgiveness and mercy.  Yet, You required punishment and so terrible punishment was meted out upon the people for David's sin.  This emphasizes how very terrible sin is.

Too often we in our lives belittle acts of disobedience, sin.  We want something, even knowing it is probably not the best thing for us.  We may get warnings from friends or even just an inner sense of wrongness or unease.  Yet, we persist, thinking it won't cause that much harm. We think it is not that big a deal.  Like David here, all he wanted was a census!  And yet the consequence of that act was the death of 70,000.  But for God's mercy and David's repentance it could have been worse!  And each act of disobedience on our part results in a consequence of punishment.  I am of the thought that we often don't know the half of the dreadful consequences of our selfishness.

Yes, spiritual warfare is real and  active!  "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (I Peter 5:8).

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).

It is not a light thing to ignore.  Help me, LORD God, to allow You to keep me in the palm of Your hand!  (Isaiah 41:13)

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Freedom to Rejoice!

Reading:  I Chronicles 11 - 16
My Verse:  "Seek the LORD and His strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually" (16:11)!

This is what David does so amazingly well.  He allows himself to rejoice in You, LORD God!  He sings and dances before You.  How I need this.  This is what You want for me - to allow myself to  fully enjoy Your wondrous majesty!

There are times when I feel I want to burst through my skin! Yet, I know it is not my skin that restrains me.  It is fear, the cares of the world, the worldly opinion of others that hamper me, that keeps me  in my place so to speak.  This restriction has become so strong that I am simply unable to rejoice loudly and joyfully as David did.

The first thing David says I am to do is "give thanks to the LORD."  Doing this causes me to realize how much I have to be thankful for.  This brings me to realize how truly awesome You are, LORD God.

David then says "call upon His name."  This is so important.  I don't want to do this.  Naturally I want to do everything on my own, in my own power.  At least I think it is in my own power.  But truly without You, I can do nothing.  That which I do without You becomes stained and ugly and corrupted because  pride ultimately destroys.  You want me to humbly and simply call on You.  "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).  Oh, LORD, help me to be humble before You and cry out to You in my need.  Help loved ones to put aside pride and cry out to You.  Only in this is there true freedom and release from ourselves.

You tell me through David to "sing to Him; sing praises to Him." I am to worship You with song!  I do enjoy the song service in church.  I love listening to hymns.  I am ever on the search for new artists that sing beautifully of You, LORD God.  Listening to worshipful songs soothes and nourishes my soul.

You know, LORD God that it is only through You that I can be free, free to be happy, free to rejoice with the abandon that King David does.

"Rejoice in the LORD always; again I will say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4).

You want me to be free to soar in my worship of You!  To exult in Your greatness and beauty!

"Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, 
   and let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!
 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
   let the field exult, and everything in it!
 Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy
   before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth.
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
   for his steadfast love endures forever"(16:31-34).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

West Side Story Love Theme!

Reading:  I Corinthians 13
My Verse:  "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love" (I John 4:7,8).

I attended the production of West Side Story this past weekend.  As I watched the play the concept that really spoke to me was the theme of unconditional  love between Maria and Tony.   Yes, I enjoyed the singing and dancing - it was all fun, excepting the seemingly obligatory crassness that  gets inserted into these productions! (but I digress!).  The unrequited love of Maria and Tony spoke to me of Your love, LORD God.  It reminded me that we  love because You created us in Your own image and You are LOVE!  To love someone unconditionally is only possible because we ARE in Your image!

We all love to see acts of kindness.  Seeing love expressed between individuals brightens ones day.  It draws us.  It makes us smile and feel warm.  Without thinking about it we seem to automatically be lifted up when loving acts of kindness are expressed before us.  We are severely and sorely upset when we see acts of hatred.  Even very tiny children react this way.  It does not have to be taught.  Unfortunately, as we age it becomes harder and harder for many to express their feelings of love.  This ability seems to get beaten down by the world and so we bury those feelings inside.  This is not what You meant for us LORD God.

You are love.  I John 4:16 says "God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."  Is this saying that if we truly love we are abiding in You, LORD God?  Or is does this indicate that even amongst those who have rejected You glimpses of true love flash out?  And when we see this we grab onto it because in truth it is a glimpse of Your love?  Is this a glimpse of heaven?

Our verse says "love is from God." All things are from You, LORD God.  You gave us this ability to love.  Because we are of You, love is present in our lives whether or not we have given ourselves to You.  Unfortunately, because of our fallen nature and willful selfishness  we mess it up terribly and in too many instances this love ends in tragedy.

You plead with us throughout Your Word to love You and to love one another.

"The LORD Your God is in your midst, a mighty one Who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing" (Zephaniah 3:17).

"I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me" (Proverbs 8:17).

"A new commandment, I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (John 13:34).

I thank You, LORD God, for love.  I thank You, for giving us this wonderful ability, however marred it has become.

"Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever" (Psalm 136:26).

I thank You, LORD God that this love is forever.  All else will pass away but this love of Yours will "endure forever."  And so throughout this world's history we will be drawn to the great stories of unconditional love, however tragic their ending may be.  We will be drawn to love stories because they, like so much in our physical world are a glimmer of You, LORD God.

Thank You for these bits of brightness in this ever darkening world that remind us of You, LORD God!  Thank You for works of art like West Side Story that help to remind us that despite the pain that often comes with it,  to love is far better than to hate or to not love.


Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Each Individual Is Important To God!

Reading:  I Chronicles 1 - 10
My Verse:  "The sons of Elioenai Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani, seven" (3:24).

I must say this was not an easy read.  I keep wondering what am I to learn from this?  Why is all this included in the Bible?  For, I know, LORD God that You only included that which was necessary for our edification, for our understanding of Who You are.  So as I am reading this - all these names, I begin to be fascinated.  Each of these names was an individual.  Each one was important to You.

This genealogy started off with the first man, Adam.  It goes all the way beyond the destruction of the Israelite nation.  The sons mentioned above are descendants of David.  This is so important - to see that the line of David not only continued but that there is an actual record documenting this continuation.  It is important because, this is the line through which You promised to bring us a Savior, Your Son, Jesus Christ. You, LORD God had the prophet Nathan tell David these words.  "And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.  Your throne shall be established forever" ( 2 Samuel 7:16).

However, I am wondering why do You include all the sons here?  Only one of them could actually be in the direct genealogy of Jesus.  Why list each one?

It is hard to think of all the many people that have been born and lived for a time on this earth.  Yet, You LORD God knew each and every one that ever was.  You care about each and every one.  That is so important to remember.  There is so much I do not understand but this I know because Your Word speaks much of this important truth. You are a personal, caring and loving God!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).

"Keep me as the apple of your eye;
     hide me in the shadow of your wings" (Psalm 17:8).

I also like what Augustine said of Your love, LORD God.
     "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us."

How wonderful is that?  Thank You for being a personal God, caring for each of us!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Too Late!

Reading II Kings 22 - 25
My Verse:  "Still the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath, kindled against Judah because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him" (23:27).

Here we come to the end of this sorry period of Israel's history.  They started off so very grand with King Saul, then King David, then King Solomon.  But each fell short in their total devotion to You, O LORD God!  Even David, the king you said was a "man after Your own heart" committed awful sins, sins that started the downward spiral of the kingdom of Israel.  Yes, he was forgiven because You loved him and he truly repented of his sins.  Yet, there are those dreadful consequences that must be carried out.  And so here at the end of this kingdom that had so much promise we see the carrying out of those dreadful consequences!  You warned and warned, then finally after the wickedness of King Manasseh You, LORD God finally said that was it - punishment had to be meted out!

This reading starts off with the wonderful story of King Josiah, who "was eight years old when he began his thirty-one year reign in Jerusalem" (22:1).  And Josiah, despite his wicked grandfather and father, had a heart for You, LORD God.  "He did right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the ways of David his [forefather], and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left" (22:2).  When Your Word was found and read, King Josiah "rent his clothes" (22:11).  He inquired of You, LORD God to learn what must be done to correct things.  He wanted to do what was right.

You, LORD God are such a loving God.  You want so much to love us and forgive us.  You show this wonderful mercy to King Josiah.  Through Huldah the prophetess, You sent Josiah these words.  "Because your heart was penitent and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I said against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation, a curse, and you have rent your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you, says the LORD.  Behold, . . . your eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring on this place" (22:19,20). In Your mercy you did not bring this awful judgement on all of Israel until after Josiah died.

Even though Josiah knew that You would spare him the judgement and  that there was no stopping it,  this knowledge did not stop him from destroying all that was evil in his kingdom.

I like Josiah's approach.  He first read Your Words to the entire people, so they would understand what he was doing.  He then told them what he was going to do - "to walk after the LORD and to keep His commandments, His testimonies, and His statutes with all his heart and soul" (23:3).  He then proceeded to diligently and persistently  eradicate all the evil.  Finally, he brought back the celebration of the Passover which had not been celebrated since the time of the judges. "Surely such a Passover was not held from the days of Israel's judges, even in all the days of the kings of Israel or Judah" (23:22).  He was as thorough as he could possibly be.

"There was no king like him before or after [Josiah] who turned to the LORD with all his heart and all his soul and all his might, according to all the LAW of Moses" (23:25).  What an amazing thing to be said of one.  We should all aspire to the life of King Josiah!

So the land of Judah had a very short respite from the evil before their judgement was meted out on them.  You, LORD God did as You said You would.  After Josiah died, several other evil kings reigned for very short periods and then the entire nation was done away with.  Even Your temple was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar. "He burned the house of the LORD . . ."(25:9).

Despite all that Josiah did it was too late to save the land.
"Still the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath, kindled against Judah because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him. And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of My sight as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city, Jerusalem, which I have chosen, and the house, of which I said, My Name shall be there"  (23:26,27).

So dreadfully sad.  Oh LORD God, help me to be faithful to You.  Help me to be faithful in prayer for my country.  Help me to be faithful in prayer for those loved ones that continue to deny You.  There does come a time when it is simply too late to repent!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Be Careful What You Ask For!

Reading:  II Kings 20 - 21
My Verse:  "Thus says the LORD, Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover" (II Kings 20:1).

This is such a tragic passage, LORD God.  You ordained that Hezekiah should die.  Hezekiah would not accept this, Your will, for him.  He begged You for a longer life and You, LORD God gave him what he asked for.  This reminds me of the adage, "Be careful what you ask for!"

You, LORD God see what we cannot.  You make decisions and take actions that are always in our best interest.  Hezekiah was a king devoted to You.  Yet here he shows pride in that.  He reminds You of all the great things he did for You as he begs for a longer life!  You grant him his request even though it was not the best for him.

The results of his longer life are devastating.  
     1.  He had a son, Manasseh, who "did evil in the sight of the LORD."
     2.  Manassah built back up the "high places" and "reared up altars for Baal and made an Asherah."
     3.  Manassah built heathen altars in the house of the LORD. (21:4)
     4.  "And he burned his son as an offering and did much evil in the sight of the LORD"(21:6).
     5.  He led the Israelites astray to do more evil than the nations that were there before them. (21:9)
     6.  He shed much innocent blood of his own people. (21:16)
     7.  Manassah's son Anon reigned after his father and "also did evil in the sight of the LORD" (21:20).

I am reminded of when the Israelites begged You, LORD God for a king of their own. (I Samuel 8) You warned them and then gave into their demands.

I find it interesting that You, LORD God give into us when we beg You for something.  You are so like a human loving parent.  You want so much for us to be happy.

I am also reminded of those that say everything is set in stone.  That it doesn't matter what we do.  They say You, LORD God have determined how everything is going to be and so we have no say.  This is so not true.  We do have an active part to play in this life You have given us.  You did give us a free will after all.  Our life is so very dynamic - we make decisions every moment of every day.  Decisions that are right or wrong.  Decisions that lead us closer to You or further from You.  That is what all of life is about.

Many choose to ignore the question of their eternity.  I am embarrassed to confess I sometimes envy those that do.  I envy their seemingly blissful ignorance!  Yet, I know that this is a choice made.  And I cannot go there.  

Pascal's Wager comes to mind.  It is said he wrote for the skeptics. but isn't every unbeliever a skeptic?  His reply to the skeptic or agnostic's claim that it is best to not believe or to not make a choice. "But you must wager.  There is no choice.  You are already committed [embarked]."  In other words we are already in this game of life!  C.S. Lewis calls those that refuse to believe in You, LORD God, "rebels to the end. . . They enjoy forever the horrible freedom they have demanded, and are therefore self-enslaved" (The Problem of Pain).

Oh, I am so thankful to You, LORD God for drawing me to You.  Thank You for revealing Yourself to me in such a way that I could see it is the Way, the only way.  Thank You for opening up Your Word to me as the Truth that it is!

Help me today to seek Your will for my life.  Help me today to be sensitive to Your guiding and so check any selfishness in my prayers.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

He Held Fast to the LORD!

Reading II Kings 11 - 19
My Verse:  "For he held fast to the LORD.  He did not depart from following him , but kept the commandments that the LORD commanded Moses" (18:6).

Finally, a king emerges who determines to give his all to You, LORD God.  King Hezekiah is the 13th king of Judah after the Israelite kingdom was divided.  King Hezekiah holds onto You, LORD God throughout his reign and You blessed him for his devotion.

While there were two other kings before him that did "do right before the LORD" none were as steadfast and wholehearted in their devotion to the LORD God of Judah.  Neither of these two other kings did away with the "high places"  that were used for heathen worship.  This Hezehiah did.  "He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah" (18:4).

The consequences of this steadfastness of King Hezekiah were many.

You, LORD God were with him in all that he did.  "And the LORD was with him" (18:7).

King Hezekiah prospered in war.  "wherever he went out, he prospered" (18:7).

He defeated the Philistines.  "He struck down the Philistines" (18:8).

He rebelled against and would not serve the Assyrians.  "He rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him" (18:7).

Against all odds King Hezekiah defied Assyria's King Sennecherib. He prayed, "O LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God , You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; You have made heaven and earth.   Incline Your ear, O LORD and hear, open Your eyes, O LORD and see; and hear the words of Sennacheib, which he has sent to mock the living God.  . . . So  now, O LORD our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You, O LORD are God alone" (19:15 - 19).  You, LORD God, answered Hezekiah and used a mere rumor to defeat King Sennacherib!

It is interesting that the story of King Hezekiah is supported in non biblical sources.  A clay seal was found that had on it "Belonging to Hezekiah [son of Ahaz], king of Judah."

Thank You for this King Hezekiah.  Thank You, LORD God, that You are God of the universe.  Thank You for reminding me that it is You that holds all things together!

"For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - - all things have been created through Him and for Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:16, 17).

Help me to hold fast to You, LORD God!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Not Fully Committed!

Reading:  2 Kings 6 - 10
My Verse:  "Thus Jehu rooted Baal out of Israel. but Jehu did not give up the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he made Israel to sin" (10:28, 29).

Jehu had so much going for him!  Here he was one of the many captains in the army of Israel.  You, LORD God chose him to be king of Israel.  You gave him a very specific job to do, and that was to kill his own king, King Joram, and eradicate the entire family of King Ahab.  "You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and of all the servants of the Lord. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish . . ."(9:7,8).  Jehu did this but did not give You all his heart.  He was not fully committed to You, LORD God!

Jehu killed King Joram, "Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between his shoulders; and the arrow went out through his heart, and he sank down in his chariot" (9:24).  Jehu then killed Jezebel.  "And he said, Throw her down! So they threw her down, and some of her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses, and he drove over her" (9:13).  Jehu then killed all seventy grandsons of Ahab.

He showed great zeal in following Your directions, LORD God.  He said "Know now that nothing which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab shall be unfulfilled for the LORD has done what He said through His servant Elijah" (10:10).  Jehu then "slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all the great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him no one remaining" (10:11).  Jehu then "rooted Baal out of Israel" (10 28).

You, LORD God told Jehu that You would bless him for his obedience in this.  "And the LORD said to Jehu, Because you have executed well what is right in My eyes and have done to the house of Ahab as I willed, your sons to the fourth generation shall sit on Israel's throne" (10:30).  Sadly, Jehu "paid no attention to walking in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart"(10:31).

So many do this very thing.  We do what appears outwardly to be correct.  We do what appears right in the eyes of man.  But in our heart of hearts we are secretive, selfish and disobedient to You, LORD God. And the state of our heart is what truly matters to You.

All our good deeds are as filthy rags. "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. . .” (Isaiah 64:6).

We seek to build good reputations but live lukewarm lives. The book of Revelation speaks to this.  "I know your works.  You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead" (3:1b).  "I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth" (3:15, 16).

LORD God, thank You for this lesson of King Jehu who was so very zealous for You but only to a point.  He did all the outward acts but would not give You what You want from each of us.  He did not give You his heart.  And so the consequences were that You allowed the kingdom to wither away. "So in those days the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel.(11 Kings 10:32).

This is what happens to our hearts.  As the kingdom of Israel withered away so does our heart, when it is not fully committed to You and healed and nurtured by You.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!