Readings for today: 1 Kings 15:25-34, 1 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 17
Chaos was woven into the fabric of creation by humanity when she fell into sin at the beginning. From that point forward, every time chaos increases it is a sure sign of God’s curse and disfavor and is the logical consequence of disobedience. Thankfully, God is not afraid of our chaos. He is not surprised by it nor is He helpless before it. Just as His Spirit hovered over the waters at the beginning of time, so His Spirit still hovers over the chaos of our lives.
Consider our reading today and the chaos that plagued the northern kingdom of Israel because they refused to obey God in worship. King after king continued to serve the detestable idols set up by Jeroboam and come under God’s judgment. “This happened because of the sins he committed. He did evil in the sight of the Lord and followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to continue sinning.” (1 Kings 16:19 NET) The result was chaos. Assassinations. Kings reigning for days before being destroyed. Entire families massacred. Bloodlines ended. It was a brutal and violent time. Sadly, I’ve seen similar dynamics in play in nations where there is no rule of law and corruption runs rampant.
Where are you experiencing chaos in your life right now? Chances are that area of your life is not aligned with God. It’s worth taking time to reflect and ask yourself where you may be following short. Praying and asking God to show you where you remain double-minded and half-hearted. It’s not always obvious but nothing remains hidden to the Holy Spirit if we will simply open up our hearts and minds to Him.
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 17-19