Day 180: Asking the LORD for advice

Today's Reading: 2 Chronicles 19-23

I like Jehoshaphat.

He is not your typical ruler who seems to have it all together. He is humble. He knows his limitations.

But the best thing about Jehoshaphat is that he always asks the LORD's advice.

He meets with the king of Israel who is a difficult ally. What's his contribution to the board meeting?

"Let's ask the LORD."

He hears of an enemy advancing. What's his response? Alarm. What's his next step?

"Let's ask the LORD for advice."

He sets up judges in the land. What does he tell them?

"Think carefully about what you do. After all, you aren't judging for mere men. You are judging for the Lord. He's with you every time you make a decision. Have respect for the Lord. Judge carefully. He is always right. He treats everyone the same. He doesn't want his judges to take money from people who want special favors....Have respect for the Lord. Serve him faithfully. Do it with all your heart."

Jehoshaphat lives up to his name: "The LORD will judge."

Let God decide.

Let God judge.

Let God be the advice giver.

I think that is a wonderful way to live.

Day 179: Listening to what you don't want to hear

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18

Ahab said, "There is still one other man we can go to. We can ask the Lord for advice through him. But I hate him. He never prophesies anything good about me. He only prophesies bad things. His name is Micaiah. He's the son of Imlah."

"You shouldn't say bad things about him," Jehoshaphat replied.

1 Kings 22:8

One of the hardest things to do is to listen to the truth when the truth challenges, exhorts or condemns your behavior or you. We all want to hear good news. We all want to be encouraged. We all want to receive praise.

But sometimes the worse news is really the "best" news, the words of truth.

The book of Proverbs declares "The wounds of a friend are faithful." Friends who warn us, who guard our back against our own blind spots, who speak truth to us even when we don't like it, are true friends.

They are also rare friends. They love us enough to risk the friendship for the friend.

Instead of "hating" these people, these prophets, they are the very ones we need to embrace and love. They are rare, brave souls who will stand alone to warn us.

Jehoshaphat is right. We shouldn't ever say anything bad against them.

We should honor them.

Day 178: Fair play

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 20-21

Early in childhood, children are able to distinguish what is fair and what is not, especially if the situation is objective, one they can determine from the outside. They can very well distinguish if something is not fair if it involves a slight to themselves.

In kindergarten, we are taught to share, keep our hands off of other people's property and not to grab all the cookies for ourselves. But it seems these lessons take a lifetime to learn.

We can readily discern when we have been cheated or slighted; but have a very hard time discerning when we are grabbing more than our share or trespassing into another's property, space or authority.

Ahab, green with envy, and longing for what was not his, throws a temper tantrum, over steps his power boundary and out and out steals from another. Ahab not only steals property, but life and future inheritance from Naboth.

How is it that the king, the one who is to lead the people, the one who is to have the people's best interest at heart, the one who is to be the brightest and the most gifted, the one who access to all the resources is the very one who has not learned a basic elementary lesson.

Here is a warning to all leaders. Learn the basics of fair play before you think you are ready to rule over anyone. Power is to be used for the people, not against the people.

Ahab, you are a bad king. You are not playing fair.

Go back to Kindergarten, the beginning, and learn the basic lessons.

Day 177: What does it take?

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 17-19

We begin today with a proclamation of faith from a prophet who enters the scene.

I serve the LORD. He is the God of Israel. You can be sure that he lives.

1 Kings 17:1

Think about it; if you had to put who you are, who God is and your relationship one to the other, could you do it in three simple sentences?

Elijah appears on the scene full and sure of faith in God and sure of his identity. Was he born into a family of faith? Taught at his parents' knees? What did it take to produce this surety?

Elijah is hearing from God. Another faithful man is serving God by preserving God's prophets. Elijah has a task for him. Obadiah is frightened. Obadiah is not sure. What does it take for Obadiah to trust the word of the LORD from Elijah?

The people of Israel are under an idolatrous king, Ahab. They have followed the king instead of the LORD. Elijah stages a contest. As the drama unfolds, the people of Israel observe passively. The Baal prophets are in a frenzy with no results. Elijah prays and fire comes from heaven. Elijah kills all the Baal prophets. Is this kind of sign, miraculous and dramatic, what it takes to develop belief and faithfulness from a people?

Ahab and Jezebel respond with anger and revenge. They are plotting to kill the prophets of God. What would it have taken for their hearts to soften and bow to the LORD?

It seems, many times, over and over, the prophets, the people and the rulers of the land expect God to "perform" for them in order to respond in faith. But even when God bursts into history and meets people face to face in truth, in fire, in provision, faith and loyalty to God are not born.

What does it take?

Even after a dramatic day of God's activity, Elijah, the bold, articulate prophet of God wavers.

I wonder how that makes God feel...

I wonder if God in frustration declares, "What does it take, my Creation? When will you believe? When will you have faith? When will you be faithful?"

God comes and dwells with the people. God heals. God provides. God blesses. God clears the path. God dies. God rises from the dead.

And still the Baals have power...we give them power.

What will it take?

Day 176: Meanwhile, back in Israel...

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 15:25 - 16:34; 2 Chronicles 17

Judah's Lamp, Asa, is burning well with rest and peace, but the region of Israel is absolutely in turmoil. There is constant war, everyone is killing everyone else, and fires are burning. Why? Lots and lots of idol worship.

So, here's my question---which comes first, idolatry or war?

According to the books of Kings and Chronicles, idolatry brings with it war, destruction and fire. These physical realities get translated into spiritual realities as the theology of God's people develops.

No, most of us do not have idols in our homes--wooden or stone depictions of gods, although Buddahs and Hindu gods and goddesses are becoming popular wall and garden ornamentation in homes--we need to consider what has replaced the allegiance to God in our lives?

What behaviors, needs or greed fuel the wars of our land? What keeps us building weaponry and asking the "sacrifice" of our children to the fires of destruction?

With whom are we constantly arguing? Are there areas of unrest in our lives? Can we determine the root cause of the strife?

It would be an interesting exercise to trace the "bloodline" of our strife. To find the headwaters of the streams of anger.

Would we dare to do this kind of reflection? Or will we continue to bow to all that is not God?

Day 175: Give me a break...

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 15:1-24; 2 Chronicles 13-16

Nevertheless, for David's sake the LORD his God gave Abijah a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son (Asa) to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong.

1 Kings 15:4

Sometimes I find myself reading along in scripture and getting involved in the big picture and all of a sudden, a word jumps out at me. Often the word catches my attention because it seems out of place or strange in the context. So it was today. I'm reading along about the kings and their battles and their idolatry--themes that seem to be the norm--and suddenly I stop. God is giving Abijah "a lamp" by raising up a son. What a strange choice of words. God is calling the gift of a son, "a lamp."

The Hebrew word here for "lamp" is "neer" which carries with it the understanding of breaking through, cutting through, as a plow would cut a furrow in the land. A lamp is that which breaks through, cuts through, the darkness.

In Genesis, we learn that darkness separates when light is ushered in. A lamp sheds light and cuts through darkness. God is giving Abijah and the people of Judah "a break,"--a lamp in the midst of their darkness--for the sake of their great grandfather, David. Despite the disobedience of the present generation, some of the generational blessings left over from David's faithfulness are still being bestowed.

Asa is born. His name means "healer" and he immediately begins healing the land by destroying idol worship and returning to the temple of the LORD God, reinstating the priests and humbling himself before God.

And because of this Lamp, this break, whose obedience is true before God, God gives the people of Judah rest from war.

I'm wondering if the story of Asa is the root of the phrase we use quite often when we are distressed---"Give me a break!" It means, "cut me some slack," "ease up a bit," "give me some breathing room."

I think it is a wonderful thing to realize that even in our disobedience or in our frazzled lives, we can say to God, "Give me a break! Send me a lamp! I need some light on this, please."

And God said, "Let there be light!"

"And God sent forth his Son," who made the claim, "I am the Light of the world."

Then Jesus says, "You are the light of the world." You are the lamp on a lamp stand.

Did you ever think that your witness, your testimony, your faithfulness to God might just be the "break" someone has been praying for?

You might just be the answer to some one's prayer, "Give me a break, LORD."

"LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let darkness prevail against you."

2 Chronicles 14:11

Day 174: The crumbling of a nation

Today's Reading: 2 Chronicles 10-12

How many of you remember hearing the story of Rehoboam in Sunday School along side the stories of Noah, Moses, Joseph and Jonah? Probably not many of us could have told his story by heart, but his life is very important to our "family history."

Yesterday we talked about the issue of discernment and how we usually listen to the advice of those who agree with us. Today we hear some repeated lessons and learn a few new things.

1. Our actions effect others. Though we may not believe it, we cannot act independently. Our scorn and harshness hurt others, our humility and faithfulness bless others. After the harshness of the king, his ambassador is killed by the people. An interesting line follows which we need to ponder. Imagine the historical significance of this small verse at the end of chapter ten.

So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

2 Chronicles 10:19

2. The kingdom is dividing. Judah is reigned by Rehoboam and Israel by Jeroboam. In today's passage, the "little town of Bethlehem" is built into a fortified city of the region of Judah. Brother is fighting brother. Civil war is becoming the norm.

3. Though the king and his people are worshipping God, they are also bowing to calf and goat idols. In scripture, God has no tolerance for other gods. God is not willing to share our loyalties: God is jealous for us. This act of unfaithfulness brings the scorn of God upon not only a household but a nation.

4. We learn from this passage that God uses the enemies of Judah to discipline them. This concept is going to be further built during the age of kings and prophets. In this passage, God moves Shishak, the king of Egypt, into place. The sovereignty of God over all kings and kingdoms is a very strong theological understanding of the people of God.

5. When disaster comes, the king realizes his sin and he humbles himself, thus saving himself and his people from utter destruction. God is moved by humility; and humility begins with the recognition that God is god and there is no other.

Rehoboam received the kingdom in fairly good standing with a new temple and a full treasury but in a short time the kingdom is divided, the people are under an Egyptian ruler and idol worship is rampant. It makes you want to cry or at least shake your head in sadness.

So quickly, what God meant for good is corrupted by the disobedience of his creatures. Rehoboam's life is summarized with these words, these sad words that stand as a red flag upon the path we trod.

Rehoboam did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD.

Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and God's righteousness and everything else will follow."

What will you seek in your life?