I feel like I need a flowchart as I read about these kings of Judah and Israel, who one after another lived evil lives or who pleased God with an exception of idolatry. Let's look at today's cast of characters:
- Joash, king of Judah, "who did what pleased God...even so, he didn't get rid of the sacred fertility shrines" because people liked them. In other words, Joash obeyed God to the point that it didn't interfere with what was popular with the people. (12:2-3)
- Jehoahaz, king of Israel, who lived an "evil life...then prayed for a softening of God's anger, and God listened." God gave them peaceful circumstances, "but it didn't make any difference: They didn't change their lives" (13:5-6)
- Amaziah, king of Judah, "did the right thing. but he didn't come up to the standards of ...David" (14:3-4) and allowed the sex-and-religion shrines to continue.
- Jeroboam II, king of Israel, "as far as God was concerned he lived an evil life" (14:23)
No perfect king. No savior for Israel or Judah. When it gets down to it, it wasn't about the leadership skills of these kings, their pedigree, their staff, their foreign diplomacy, their economic policies, or their disaster preparedness. It was about Where their hope lay, Who they looked to for life, What plan they were trusting.
God was fully aware of the trouble in Israel, its bitterly hard times. No one was exempt, whether slave or citizen, and no hope of help anywhere was in sight...but God wasn't yet ready to blot out the name of Israel from history..." (14:26-27)
God's Message to the family of Israel: 'Seek me and live. Don't fool around at those shrines of Bethel, Don't waste time taking trips to Gilgal, and don't bother going down to Beer-sheba. Gilgal is here today and gone tomorrow and bethel is all show, no substance.' So seek God and live! You don't want to end up with nothing to show for your life but a pile of ashes, a house burned to the ground. For God will send such a fire, and the firefighters will show up too late. Amos 5:4-6 (Msg)
"My plan is moving ahead in the worst of times. Don't make it your goal to change bad times to good. Pray for that, of course, and do all you can to improve the world in which you live. But above all else, seek to know Me better and to represent Me well in every circumstance, no matter how you feel." (66LL)
As I face my own seemingly hopeless circumstances, I'm struggling to look to Christ alone for life, not the results He might bring. I'm wrestling with trusting God's plan, even when it seems like we're going for a loopy ride. I'm grateful for this reminder to seek to know Him better and to represent Him well. That's it. That's what pleases Him.
1 comment:
It's so funny how I feel like I'm every king! Along this journey, I feel like I'm learning and experiencing so much, but almost in a way where I want to move past my sin so fast and in my own timing. Instead of trusting God to work in me- I almost turn back to how I need to make myself holy... ha. Feels even funny typing it. But I get frustrated, king after king...sin after sin... disobedience and not turning to God... over and over again... and that's my heart too.
encouraged to continue to look towards Him. feelings show me I need Him-my sin show me I just need Him- yet I so easily take so long to come back to Him- SEEK HIM AND LIVE. So easy yet not simple at all... praying for this to change my heart- to be drawn, to run back to Him each day... SEEK HIM AND LIVE. O, my God, He is so good- always loving me, always there for me.
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