Are you as tired as I am of the flip-flop nature of the kings of Israel and Judah. One king does what is evil in the sight of the Lord. The next king does what is good and right in the sight of the Lord. One king kills all his family. The other king prospers with God’s blessings and is buried near David and his ancestors. One king has no one show up for his funeral. The next king has thousands giving thanks for his leadership as his life is celebrated and his body buried. My head is spinning at this ebb and flow of faithfulness to disobedience to faithfulness again.
Here’s my question: Why is so difficult for us to get it? Why can’t we see that faithfulness is the way of blessing, and disobedience is the way of curse? Why are we so thick-skulled and hard-hearted? How can a son of a great king like Hezekiah not follow in the steps of his father’s faithfulness? Was Hezekiah a great king while at the same time being a horrible father to his own son? I guess that it is always possible because we see it in our time. Our greatest leaders can be so consumed in their leadership they forget their primary place of leadership in the family.
But I have a hunch (call it a "spiritual nudge") that there is a lesson here that is important for me and maybe for you to digest. And that lesson is the capacity of the human spirit to miss the joy of God’s presence is large. God never gives up on me or you, but God will not force God’s way into our life. God will do all that can be done to love us into relationship but it is ultimately up to us to desire God’s presence and thus follow God’s ways.
I pray that we will all "do what is good and right in the sight of God." If we do, then blessings and life will follow. - Dr. Terry Walton, senior pastor
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