Devotional Thoughts for the Week of June 28, 2020 - “And You Will Know”
One thing that continually amazes me about Scripture is the way it speaks to me differently every time I read it. Only God could write a book that is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). I stand in awe of Him all over again today. In our chronological journey through the Bible this year, we are reading about kings and events in Israel and Judah after the kingdom was divided. We discover that the southern kingdom of Judah had some kings who sought to serve God and others who did not. The northern kingdom of Israel had no godly kings after the nation was divided. I read this morning about Ahab, one of the kings of the northern nation of Israel. “There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel” (1 Kings 21:25-26). Ahab was an evil man and an evil king, yet when Ben-Hadad, king of Aram came against Israel with a vast army, God helped Ahab. Ahab did not repent or cry out to God for help as far as we are told, yet God sent a prophet to tell Ahab that his army would win both this battle and the subsequent one. King Ahab mustered 232 provincial commanders (whom God had said would be victorious) and 7,000 troops. They marched out against Ben-Hadad and thirty-two other kings who were allied with him. In an astonishing victory, the small army not only defeated the enemy soldiers, but “advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans” (1 Kings 21:21). The two armies faced off again the following spring and again the much smaller army of Israel was victorious. As I was reading I had to ask why. Why would God help such an evil king who led the Israelites into idolatry? The answer appears twice in the text, in God’s message through the prophet. God promised to deliver the enemy into Ahab’s hand, “Then you will know that I am the Lord” (verses 13 and 18). God wanted Ahab to know Him. He had shown Ahab His power when He sent fire to burn up the offering on Mt. Carmel (chapter 18) and God now showed His great mercy. I was caught off guard by this reminder of God’s amazing heart of love. When I look at Ahab I see only bad, but when God looked at Ahab He saw the potential of what he was created to be. God never changes (Hebrews 13:8). He has always been the God who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Ahab was created by God and loved by God. The patient and merciful Creator went out of His way to give Ahab the opportunity to know Him. His actions reflect His compassionate heart.
Thankfully we are not subjects of an evil king, but there is still clear application for this moment in history. We live in a nation divided, where hate is being shouted and violence is being called acceptable. As believers we are to stand out from the world around us, particularly by the way we love one another (John 13:34-45). Perhaps you struggle with family, friends, or co-workers who don’t share your views or your passion about certain topics. Perhaps there are individuals everywhere from facebook to Washington with whom you vehemently disagree. That is ok, even good, but it is no excuse to be harsh. Every word spoken by a believer is to be building others up, benefiting those who listen (Ephesians 4:29). Those with whom we disagree are created in God’s image and deeply loved by Him. He longs for each one to know Him, and in knowing Him to experience purposeful abundant life. The response then of Christians in such a time as this is to speak kindly and pray fervently for all to hear God calling and draw near. God loves even “those people” and He calls us to love them too. That will not be possible except as the indwelling Holy Spirit enables us to truly love. Let us be faithful to seek God continually in prayer.
Lynn
One thing that continually amazes me about Scripture is the way it speaks to me differently every time I read it. Only God could write a book that is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). I stand in awe of Him all over again today. In our chronological journey through the Bible this year, we are reading about kings and events in Israel and Judah after the kingdom was divided. We discover that the southern kingdom of Judah had some kings who sought to serve God and others who did not. The northern kingdom of Israel had no godly kings after the nation was divided. I read this morning about Ahab, one of the kings of the northern nation of Israel. “There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel” (1 Kings 21:25-26). Ahab was an evil man and an evil king, yet when Ben-Hadad, king of Aram came against Israel with a vast army, God helped Ahab. Ahab did not repent or cry out to God for help as far as we are told, yet God sent a prophet to tell Ahab that his army would win both this battle and the subsequent one. King Ahab mustered 232 provincial commanders (whom God had said would be victorious) and 7,000 troops. They marched out against Ben-Hadad and thirty-two other kings who were allied with him. In an astonishing victory, the small army not only defeated the enemy soldiers, but “advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans” (1 Kings 21:21). The two armies faced off again the following spring and again the much smaller army of Israel was victorious. As I was reading I had to ask why. Why would God help such an evil king who led the Israelites into idolatry? The answer appears twice in the text, in God’s message through the prophet. God promised to deliver the enemy into Ahab’s hand, “Then you will know that I am the Lord” (verses 13 and 18). God wanted Ahab to know Him. He had shown Ahab His power when He sent fire to burn up the offering on Mt. Carmel (chapter 18) and God now showed His great mercy. I was caught off guard by this reminder of God’s amazing heart of love. When I look at Ahab I see only bad, but when God looked at Ahab He saw the potential of what he was created to be. God never changes (Hebrews 13:8). He has always been the God who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Ahab was created by God and loved by God. The patient and merciful Creator went out of His way to give Ahab the opportunity to know Him. His actions reflect His compassionate heart.
Thankfully we are not subjects of an evil king, but there is still clear application for this moment in history. We live in a nation divided, where hate is being shouted and violence is being called acceptable. As believers we are to stand out from the world around us, particularly by the way we love one another (John 13:34-45). Perhaps you struggle with family, friends, or co-workers who don’t share your views or your passion about certain topics. Perhaps there are individuals everywhere from facebook to Washington with whom you vehemently disagree. That is ok, even good, but it is no excuse to be harsh. Every word spoken by a believer is to be building others up, benefiting those who listen (Ephesians 4:29). Those with whom we disagree are created in God’s image and deeply loved by Him. He longs for each one to know Him, and in knowing Him to experience purposeful abundant life. The response then of Christians in such a time as this is to speak kindly and pray fervently for all to hear God calling and draw near. God loves even “those people” and He calls us to love them too. That will not be possible except as the indwelling Holy Spirit enables us to truly love. Let us be faithful to seek God continually in prayer.
Lynn
