1 Kings 15 -- Waiting On Gravity

Reading this chapter was a lot like watching two old biplanes falling from the sky in death spins.  The conclusion is inevitable, but I kept wanting to hold out hope for a recovery.

 

On Judah’s side, Abijah became king after his father Rehoboam died.  “He did all the same sins his father before him had done.”  He’d emulated his father’s walk – that should be a stern warming to all of us dads!

 

Abijah died and his son Asa became king.  “He began his reign with a heart like that of David, but though a good king for most of his life, during the last five years of his reign, he rebelled against the Lord,” my commentary said.  Still, the dynasty of David continued in Judah.

 

But in Israel it was quite another thing!  Jeroboam finally died, but his son Nadab kept up his sinful ways.  He was assassinated by Baasha, who wiped out all of Jeroboam’s heirs, ending that dynasty.  Although used by God to fulfill the prophecy against Jeroboam, Baasha did not choose to follow God.

 

The one thing that stood out to me was Asa’s apparent willingness to follow the Lord, yet he later took the treasures from God’s Temple to use to bribe a Gentile king, Ben-Hadad of Syria, to help in his wars with Israel rather than trusting the Lord.  My commentary said, “Asa’s heart was divided – one day trusting the Lord and the next day trusting in the arm of the flesh.  A perfect heart isn’t a sinless heart but a heart wholly yielded to the Lord and trusting Him fully.”  I hadn’t thought about it quite like that before, but we are all sinners and far from perfect.  Yet the most important thing we can do is to keep our trust in the Lord.

 

Father, You’ve been taking me through some faith-building exercises over the last 3 years.  I continue to trust in You to help me through them.  My heart isn’t sinless, but I pray that You see it as one wholly yielded to You and trusting You fully.

 

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford