Why it Matters - Confidence

Readings for today: Isaiah 36-37, 2 Kings 18:9-37, 19, 2 Chronicles 32:1-23, Psalms 76

“Where is your confidence?” What a great question from our reading today! Where is your confidence? Is it in your strength? Your wisdom? Your wealth? Your influence? Is it in your allies? Those who may come to your aid in time of need? Is it in human plans and human schemes? Where is your confidence? This was the challenge put before the people of Judah by the messenger from Sennacharib. In the face of overwhelming odds. An army that dwarfed their own. A military machine that had swept through nation after nation. An unstoppable force that now lay encamped on their doorstep. Where was their confidence?

This was Hezekiah’s greatest test and he passed with flying colors. He forbid his people to respond. He didn’t argue or try to defend himself or try to buy his way out of danger. He simply took the words of the pagan king and laid them before the Lord. “Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then Hezekiah went up to the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord. Hezekiah prayed before the Lord: “O Lord who commands armies, O God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky and the earth. Pay attention, Lord, and hear! Open your eyes, Lord, and observe! Listen to this entire message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God! It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the nations and their lands. They have burned the gods of the nations, for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power, so all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.” (Isaiah‬ ‭37‬:‭14‬-‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬) Note what Hezekiah does not do. He doesn’t ask God to preserve his kingship. He doesn’t ask God to preserve his life. He doesn’t ask God to protect His Temple or even the city of Jerusalem. Hezekiah understands this battle is not about him. It’s not even about his people or his nation. It’s about God. It’s about God’s glory and God’s honor. So he calls on God to glorify Himself by delivering His people. He calls on God to defend His honor by humbling Sennacharib. He proclaims His faith in God as the one who commands legions and rules the nations of the earth. It’s a powerful prayer and one God answers miraculously.

Where is your confidence? When the principalities and powers of this world seem to be closing in on you, where do you turn? When things aren’t going your way and you feel hurt or betrayed by those you once thought were friends, where do you go? When the pressure is on and your situation is intense and you feel overwhelmed, who do you trust? The Lord or yourself? How do you pray? Do you pray with a desire to see God honored and glorified or are you just looking to get out of the situation you find yourself in? Let me challenge you to take Hezekiah’s prayer to heart and use it as a model the next time you feel anxious or afraid.

Readings for tomorrow: No readings on Sunday

Why it Matters - Rationalization

Readings for today: 2 Kings 16-17, 2 Chronicles 28

I once heard it said that a human being’s ability to sin is only exceeded by that human’s ability to rationalize away their sin. And thirty years of ministry has provided plenty of evidence to back up that statement. According to Jonathan Haidt, in his book, The Righteous Mind, human beings are more “rationalizing creatures” than they are “rational creatures.” He uses the image of an elephant and a rider to make his point. The elephant represents our intuitive, emotional, reactive mind while the rider represents our conscious, rational, reasoning mind. While the rider appears to be “in control” much of the time, the reality is the elephant decides for itself where it wants to go and there’s really nothing the rider can do about it except justify the course.

Ahaz comes from godly stock. His grandfather, Uzziah, was one of the great kings of Israel and Jotham, his father, reigned well for sixteen years. What caused Ahaz to go astray? Why did Ahaz make the terrible choices he made? Passing his son through the fire? Offering sacrifices and burning incense at the high places? Carving graven images of the Baals? Making an alliance with Assyria? Adopting the worship practices of the Assyrians after a trip to Damascus? Remodeling the Temple according to his own design? The Bible doesn’t tell us but it does offer an indictment of his reign. “He did not do what pleased the Lord his God, in contrast to his ancestor David. He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel.” (2 Kings 16:2b-3a NET) So the Lord handed him over to his enemies. He lost battles to the Syrians, Edomites, and the northern kingdom of Israel. The writer of 2 Chronicles even goes as far as to say, “The Lord humiliated Judah because of King Ahaz…for he encouraged Judah to sin and was very unfaithful to the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 28:19 NET) And it appears the worse things got, the more Ahaz turned away.

I have met people just like Ahaz. No matter how bad things get and no matter how harsh the consequences of the terrible decisions they make, they refuse to repent. They refuse to return to Jesus. They rationalize away their sin by blame-shifting or by claiming they have no choice or that it’s “just the way I am.” And things only get worse. I have seen this dynamic play out in my own life and in the lives of those I love. Thankfully, at some point, most of us hit rock bottom. We come face to face with reality and all our rationalizations coming crashing down around us. It’s there that God meets us. He meets us and, if we will turn to Him, He lifts us out of the pit and miry clay and gives us a new song to sing. The song of salvation.

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 13-17

Why it Matters - Stubbornness

Readings for today: 2 Kings 14-15, 2 Chronicles 25-27

Human beings are stubborn. We all have a rebellious streak. We fall into patterns of thinking and behaving that are hard to break. We have an innate ability to justify and rationalize our sinful, selfish decisions. It’s why one of the first words we learn is “no.” It’s why teenagers are often at war with their parents. It’s why adults make so many self-destructive choices. We don’t listen well. We don’t learn from our mistakes. We struggle to submit and surrender. Obedience is not in our DNA. Humility doesn’t come naturally.

Consider what we’ve been reading from the histories of the kings of Israel and Judah. How many times do we read the refrain, “He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin.” (2 Kings 14:24 NET) 19 kings. 9 different dynasties. Over two hundred years. All repeating the same mistake. Worshipping the idols Jeroboam first set up at Dan and Bethel. The southern kings weren’t much different. How many times do we read the refrain, “But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.” (2 Kings 14:4 NET) For almost 350 years, the southern kingdom struggled with this particular sin. Though they had the Temple and the Levitical priesthood, they didn’t remain faithful. Yes, there were periods of significant reform where the high places were removed but sadly, those were largely anomalies. The bottom line is God’s people failed over and over again to remain faithful to the covenant God made with them thus demonstrating their need for a Messiah.

We are no different. The Bible says we are “conceived in sin and born in iniquity.” The idea that we are born “innocent” is a purely modern conception that has no basis in reality. We are selfish. Stubbornly so. It’s why virtues like selflessness and generosity and kindness must be taught. They are not innate to the human condition. It’s why unconditional love and grace and forgiveness and reconciliation are so difficult for us. We perceive these things as “threats” because of what they cost us. It’s much easier to label people as “toxic” and cut them off. It’s much easier to dehumanize those who oppose us or disagree with us rather than treat them with the dignity they deserve. It’s much easier for us to serve ourselves rather than those around us. But God knows where our natural tendencies lead us…pain, heartbreak, division, anger, hate, even violence. And He knows we aren’t able to produce any enduring virtues on our own. So He sends us His Son. And His Son sends us His Spirit. And His Spirit transforms us from the inside out. Giving us a new heart and a new spirit and producing in us the fruit of righteousness.

Readings for tomorrow: Jonah 1-4

Why it Matters - Mentors

Readings for today: 2 Kings 12-13, 2 Chronicles 24

I have been extremely blessed to have godly mentors in my life. Don Bachman. Berk Sterling. Sam and Fran Atchison. Daisy Grimes. Steve Hayner. Tom Melton. Bud Sparling. Randy MacFarland. David Schultz. Each of these men and women played or plays a critical role in my spiritual development. They pray for me. They process with me. They encourage me. They confront me. They hold me accountable. In a very real way, I am the man I am today because of their influence. And that influence ripples out into my marriage, my parenting, and my pastoring. I cannot imagine my life without their influence. And though God has called some of them home, their influence lives on in my life.

Jehoash (or Joash) also benefited from a godly mentor. “Throughout his lifetime Jehoash did what the Lord approved, just as Jehoiada the priest taught him.” (2 Kings 12:2 NET) Jehoash ascended the throne at a very young age. He survived the massacre of his family and was raised in the temple courts for six years. There he came under the care of Jehoiada. Jehoiada taught him to love the Lord. Taught him to serve the Lord. Taught him to honor the Lord. The result? Jehoash is counted among the more godly kings of Judah. He repaired the Temple. He restored the worship of the people of Israel. Sadly, after the death of his mentor, Jehoash turned from the ways of the Lord. He pandered to the politicians. He ignored the prophets. He even killed his mentor’s son. His kingdom descended into chaos. The Syrians defeated him in battle and he was murdered in his bed. Jehoash’s life demonstrates the power of a godly mentor and what can happen when we don’t have one.

The Christian life is both caught and taught. It is handed down from one generation to the next. It’s why the Apostle Paul encourages older men to spend time with younger men and older women with younger women. He knows the power of a mentor. He himself was blessed with godly mentor named Barnabas and he became a godly mentor to a young man named Timothy. Do you have a mentor in your life? Someone who is teaching you and modeling for you what it means to follow Jesus? Are you a mentor? Are you passing on what God has done for you and all God has taught you to the next generation?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 14-15, 2 Chronicles 25-27

Why it Matters - You

Readings for today: 2 Kings 9-11, 2 Chronicles 22:10-12, 23

“I have designated you…” “I have chosen you…” “I have called you…” Over and over again, throughout the Scriptures, God makes it clear that the primary instrument of His will is the human being. The creature made in His image. The creature to whom was given the mandate to “be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and exercise dominion over all God had made.” God never wavers from this commitment. It’s why we see Him coming back to humanity time and again to renew His covenant. Noah and his family. Abraham and Sarah. Isaac and Rebekah. Jacob and Leah and Rachel. Joseph. Moses. Joshua. Gideon. Deborah. Samuel. David. To name a few. Many of them are instruments of His grace and mercy and love. Many of them are instruments of His righteous judgment and wrath. Many of them are both. Jehu stands in the long line of those called by God for a particular purpose. He is to execute God’s judgment on the family of Ahab. The sins of this particular family have been piling up and the bill has now come due. Just as God promised.

Jehu is a terrifying figure in Scripture. A man of war. A man accustomed to violence. A man capable of terrible brutality. His commitment to destroy the family of Ahab and the Baal religion is total and absolute. He starts with the two kings of Israel and Judah and works his way down to Jezebel and Ahab’s sons. He calls every prophet and priest of Baal to attend to him and then slaughters them in the very temple where they worship. Finally, he goes after Ahab’s supporters. His nobles and close friends. He offers no mercy. No quarter is given. No one escapes. The destruction is so complete that the people of Samaria begin to use the former site of Baal’s temple as a latrine. This kind of holy war is deeply unsettling to a 21st century reader and yet it foreshadows the final judgment of God. It’s a sobering reminder that when God truly does intervene in our world to put an end to evil and sin, the destruction will be complete. At that moment, for those who have not yet bowed the knee to Jesus Christ, no mercy will be offered. No quarter will be given. No one will escape.

Thankfully, God is patient, not wishing any to perish in the final judgment. It’s why He delays His 2nd coming. He wants to see everyone be saved and come to a knowledge of His truth. And it’s why He calls His church - you and me and all those who follow Jesus - to share the gospel. We are God’s chosen instruments. Set apart for His great Kingdom work. He has designated us to accomplish His purposes in our world. If you are reading this devotional today and do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I plead with you with all my heart to make that commitment today. And if you are reading this devotional and have given your life to Christ, I plead with you with all my heart to make Him known to those around you today! Don’t wait! Don’t delay! We do not know the time or the hour Jesus will return and we want everyone to be ready to meet Him with open arms.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 12-13, 2 Chronicles 24

Why it Matters - Generational Sin

Readings for today: 2 Kings 8:16-29, 2 Chronicles 21, 22:1-9

All of us leave a legacy. Some godly. Some good. Some bad. Some truly evil. And the ripple effect on future generations is real. Ahab was a terrible king for all kinds of reasons. He broke just about every one of the Ten Commandments. He chose to worship Baal rather than Yahweh. He made graven images. He took the Lord’s name in vain. He lied. He coveted. He murdered. He stole. He treated sin flippantly and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord than any of the kings who came before him. His wife Jezebel was at least his equal in unrighteousness. She partnered with him in all of his crimes. She sought the death of Elijah, Israel’s greatest prophet. Together, they did more to lead Israel astray than any other king in her history.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to us when their influence exerts itself generationally over their descendants. Jehoram, king of Judah, came under their sway by marrying their daughter. As such, he chose to walk away from his own father’s example of faithfulness and instead “walk in the ways of the kings of Israel.” The result is predictable. The same things that happen to Israel begin to happen in Judah. War breaks out on their borders. Tribes like Edom successfully revolt and set up kingdoms of their own. Pagan shrines known as “high places” are re-established throughout the hill country. God’s people begin to worship other gods. After Jehoram (or Joram) dies, his son Ahaziah follows his ungodly legacy. He even makes a strategic alliance with the house of Ahab against Syria that ends in great tragedy. The house of Ahaziah comes to an end. Jehoram, Ahaziah’s father, dies “to no one’s regret.”

It’s a sobering reminder to us all. Generational sin is real. The sins of the fathers and mothers are often passed down to the children. Sin that goes unaddressed in our lives is often repeated by those who follow us. We exert a shaping influence for good or for evil on those around us, especially those in our own homes. How often have I seen my own weaknesses and struggles reflected in my children? How often have I seen my doubts and fears reproduced in the people I serve? How often have my own sinful tendencies come back to haunt me? Thankfully, God is faithful. As I humble myself and repent before Him, He is faithful to forgive and He is faithful to make my life a living demonstration of the gospel. Through my brokenness, His surpassing grace and power makes itself known and this too ripples out across the generations. So it comes down to this…what kind of legacy do I want to pass on? And what I am doing today to build that legacy?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 9-11, 2 Chronicles 22:10-12, 23

Why it Matters - Godly Counsel

Readings for today: 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18-20

i have often asked God for dreams and visions. Inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Ideas that can only come from Him and be accomplished by Him. The problem is I often don’t know what dreams are God-inspired and what dreams are inspired by my own ego. This is where godly counsel comes in. It’s so important to have godly men and women in your life who are not afraid to dream God-sized dreams with you but who are also not afraid to tell you “no.” I think of the mentors I’ve had in my life or the elders I serve alongside or the friends and colleagues I meet with on a regular basis who’ve played this role. Certainly my wife is a key figure in helping me figure these things out.

Ahab had a big dream. He wanted to recapture a city from the Syrians. He invited Jehoshaphat to join him. But Jehoshaphat wanted confirmation the dream was from the Lord. He asked for godly counsel. Ahab brought hundreds of prophets in to make the case. Unfortunately, they were on his payroll. They didn’t want to tell the king anything he didn’t want to hear. Jehoshaphat sees right through their facade. He asks for a second opinion. Ahab relents by sending for Micaiah, a man notorious for being willing to speak God’s truth to Ahab and tell him “no.” Micaiah comes and tells the kings what the Lord has decreed. In their arrogance, they charge into battle and it costs Ahab his life. The Lord used Ahab’s arrogance to bring about His judgment for the way he lived his life. Imagine how different things might have been had Ahab been willing to listen to godly counsel.

What about you? Do you have godly counselors in your life? Men and women who will pray with you, seek the Lord with you, discern with you, and have the courage to confront you? Do you have men and women who can “test the spirits” with you to see if they are from God or a projection of your own ego? These kinds of relationships are the key to living a godly life.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 1-4

Why it Matters - Chaos

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

Why it Matters - Revival

Readings for today: 1 Kings 15:1-24, 2 Chronicles 13-16

Revival flows from repentance. The two concepts are intimately related in Scripture. In fact, you can’t have one without the other. When God’s people repent of their sins and turn from their wicked ways, God promises to respond. He promises to hear their cries and heal their hearts and restore their nation. Repentance is more than feeling convicted. More than feeling guilty. More than feeling the closeness of God’s Spirit. More than a spiritual high or emotional moment. It always results in godly action. The tearing down of the idols in one’s life. Freedom from addiction to sin. Seeking the righteousness of the Kingdom of God for ourselves and for our neighbors. Justice in our communities and nation.

Asa led a revival in Judah. Following the reigns of his father and grandfather who were half-hearted in their devotion to the Lord, Asa set a godly example for his people to follow. He trusted in the Lord with all his heart. He tore down the idols his people had made. He even removed his own grandmother from her position because she worshipped false gods. He called on God to lead him in battle against overwhelming odds. The result was revival. Many people coming from all over to join his kingdom. He placed the worship of the Living God at the center of his life and the lives of his people and it resulted in tremendous blessing. The land had peace for many years.

As Christians, we look for revival. We pray for revival. We long for revival. But revival flows from a repentant heart. A heart dedicated to God. A life sold out to God. There is nothing God can’t do with a person who fully surrenders to Him.

This week, I have the privilege of spending time with Hal Donaldson and his team from Convoy of Hope. They are a remarkable group of people dedicated to spreading the gospel through humanitarian relief and community development. They have grown from humble beginnings into one of the largest charitable organizations in the world. All because they keep their focus on serving Christ and serving the poor, the hungry, and the hopeless in our world. Hal will tell you his is the most unlikely of stories and yet God is doing a great work through him. In fact, I would argue that the revival of hearts and lives and communities that Convoy fosters is a great example of what happens when repentance gets put into action.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 15:25-34, 1 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 17

Why it Matters - Jealousy

Readings for today; 1 Kings 13-14, 2 Chronicles 11-12

Throughout the Bible, an important question is consistently raised. Who do I serve? Do I serve God or do I serve myself? Do I serve God or do I serve man? Adam and Eve faced this question in the Garden. Will I serve God or will I seek to become like Him? Joshua challenged the people of Israel with this question as they stood on the cusp of the Promised Land. Choose this day whom you will serve. Either the Lord or the gods beyond the River. The kings of Israel were consistently challenged by this question. Would they serve God or their own self-interest? Would they remain faithful to God or would they serve the gods of the nations around them? Tragically, they far too often chose the latter.

Today’s reading introduces an important concept. Something we need to know and understand about God. He is jealous. Jealous for His name. Jealous for His glory. Jealous for the worship He righteously demands and rightfully deserves. Unlike human jealousy which is often rooted in pride and power and the need to control others, God’s jealousy is righteous and good. It is grounded in His holiness. It is reflected in His unique and perfect character. God is god and there is no other. He will not share His throne with any other. Be they gods or human beings. So when Israel seeks to live like the other nations, worshipping the false gods of the other nations, refusing to give God the glory He is due; He gives them over to those nations so they will learn the foolishness of their ways. “Yet they will become his subjects, so they can experience how serving Me differs from serving the surrounding nations.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭12‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬) God refuses to honor a divided heart. He refuses to bless divided loyalties. He lays claim over every square inch of creation and every square inch of every human heart. He will not settle for anything less.

Who do you serve? It’s a question worth pondering in your own life. What drives you? What motivates you? What gets you up in the morning? What gives you nightmares and wakes you up at night? Is it the Lord? Is everything you say and do submitted to Him? Do you find yourself seeking Him? Longing to serve Him and honor Him with your life? Or is God more of an afterthought? Peripheral to the everyday pursuits of your life? We are what we worship. Who we worship is the most important thing about us. it shapes and forms and fashions us and ultimately determines the direction of our lives.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Syncretism

Readings for today: 1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9, Proverbs 30-31

Syncretism is an ever-present danger. It is so tempting for us to merge our different belief systems or religious faith or socio-cultural understandings. We struggle remain faithful. Struggle to keep God first. Struggle to worship the Lord alone. We have all kinds of reasons. It could be fear. It could be expediency. It could be a desire for superficial unity. But the bottom line is we compromise. We settle. We accommodate and in so doing, we lose our distinctiveness. We lose our uniqueness. We lose our moral and spiritual center.

This is what happened to Solomon. He started so well. He was so humble. So faithful. So devoted. But as time went on, it seems like his fame went to his head. His desire to maintain peace caused him to sin. Instead of keeping the first commandment to worship God and Him alone, he builds shrines to false gods. The gods of the nations around him. The gods of the different kings he was making alliances with. Sure, he may have had all kinds of reasons. Some of those may even seem logical and rational. But these false gods led him astray. The results are devastating. For him. For his family. For his nation.

We live in a world full of all kinds of influences. Most of which are not good. Even evil. To allow such influences in our lives is to run the risk of syncretism. Worshipping the Lord but also worshipping other gods. The gods of pride, money, success, reputation, power, influence, you name it. Jesus is clear. The greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. All not part. Giving our full devotion to Him alone.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 10

Why it Matters - Example

Readings for today: 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8, Proverbs 25-26

There is nothing more powerful than a godly example. Godly parents setting an example for their children. Godly grandparents setting an example for their grandchildren. Godly employers setting an example for their employees. Godly pastors setting an example for their churches. Godly political leaders setting an example for their people. We tend to admire godly people even if we don’t always agree with their beliefs. Their manner of life and humility and willingness to serve is applicable no matter if you are a person of faith or not. I think of the godly men and women I have known over the course of my life. They come from all different backgrounds and life experiences. Some of them were highly educated and some had little formal education. Some were very wealthy and some didn’t have much in the way of material resources. Different ethnicities. Different nationalities. Different languages. I have been blessed by a diversity of godly mentors and friends.

At the beginning of his reign, Solomon set a godly example for Israel. “Then Solomon offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord on the altar of the Lord which he had built in front of the temple’s porch. He observed the daily requirements for sacrifices that Moses had specified for Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and the three annual celebrations - the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Temporary Shelters.” (2 Chronicles 8:12-13 NET) He followed the prescribed way of life God had established for his people at Mt. Sinai and Israel flourished as a result. The Lord blessed them with great wealth and influence in the region. Most of all, the Lord gave them peace. Peace with their neighbors. Peace with their friends. Even peace with their historic enemies. This was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Solomon. “I have answered your prayer and your request for help that you made to Me. I have consecrated this temple you built by making it my permanent home; I will be constantly present there. You must serve with integrity and sincerity, just as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations. Then I will allows your dynasty to rule over Israel permanently, just as I promised your father David, ‘You will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’” (1 Kings 9:3-5 NET)

Why is it so hard for us to follow God’s commands? Especially when He guarantees they are the path to an abundant life? Abundance in love. Abundance in joy. Abundance in peace. Abundance in friendships. Abundance in community. Abundance in resources. Abundance in success. This is not a “health and wealth gospel” nor is it “name it and claim it theology.” We cannot manipulate God, force His hand, put Him in our debt, or do anything else to make Him bend to our will and bless our selfishness and vain conceit. Rather, this is simply the reality of what it means to walk with open hands and an open heart before Him. As we walk in “integrity and sincerity” and authentically and passionately seek Him and His will for our lives, He blesses us. He honors those who honor Him.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Time and Place

Readings for today: 1 Kings 5-6, 2 Chronicles 2-3

History matters to God. Time and place matter to God. The covenantal relationship God has with His people maps out in real historical events. This is what separates Judaism and Christianity from other ahistorical, human religions. It’s what separates the truths of Judaism and Christianity from the myths of other religions. We can actually look back to a real timeline, connected to real historical events that happened in real historical places. Places we can visit to this day.

“In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites left Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, during the month of Ziv (the second month), Solomon began building the Lord’s Temple.” (1 Kings 6:1 NET) The Temple is not just another one of Solomon’s many building projects. It is a unique building, representing the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Israel. In the Book of Exodus, God hears the cries of His people. He delivers them from slavery. He leads them and provides for them in the wilderness. He gives them victory after victory in their conquest of the Promised Land. And now He gives them a secure and permanent sanctuary where they will worship Him. As such, the Temple represents something bigger than Solomon and his ascension to the throne, it represents the culmination of God’s saving acts throughout Israel’s history.

“Solomon began building the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David prepared at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” (2 Chronicles 3:1 NET) Mount Moriah was not just a random spot chosen by Solomon. It was deeply connected to Israel’s history. It was here that the plague was stopped when David built an altar and offered sacrifices in the wake of his sin. God had sent the plague in judgment because David had sinfully called for a census but David repented and God showed mercy. Traditionally, Mount Moriah is also the place where Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice him but the angel of the Lord stayed his hand and provided a ram instead. These events associate the Temple with faith and obedience as well as repentance and sacrifice and it’s why Mount Moriah was the most appropriate place to build. God had chosen to reveal Himself on this very spot time and time again and would continue to do so into the future.

We cannot and should not overlook the times and places in our lives where God makes Himself known. God is a God who intervenes in human history because He is a God who desires to have a relationship with His people. The promise associated with the Temple is that this will be the location where God will place His name and fill with His presence in order to dwell with His people. Those same promises hold true for us today through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Every believer in Christ has now become a living Temple, God making Himself known to us and through us for the sake of His glory.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 7-8, Psalms 11