2 Kings 17:7-9 - All
this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the
LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under
the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods and followed the
practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them, as
well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. The Israelites secretly did things against the
LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns.
Israel finally crumbled completely…God couldn’t stand their
evil practices anymore….so he handed them over to Assyria to do as they
pleased. It’s not like he hadn’t warned them with many prophets…or been super
patient….what would happen if they did not follow Gods laws was even written
down in Deuteronomy 28. It describes the
horrible conditions that would overtake them …if they failed to follow all the
laws of God.
The king of Assyria scattered the Israelites and moved in
other cultures among them. They saw the
power that God had to destroy them too…so they began to worship him ….but held
to their other gods too. God was seen as a sort of good luck charm…not the one
God who could bless and turn this bad situation into something good.
I’m going to just go ahead and say it…the world I live in
today…resembles this scene quite strongly.
Evil has had its hand on America for some time now….Christians are scattered
among other cultures that know who God is…and how powerful he is…but they have
never accepted him fully. God has become a good luck charm to many…but he hasn’t
captured their entire soul. They go to
church out of habit…or family tradition…they pray when they need something from
God…or maybe offer up a petition for family and friends before their eyes close
at night. We strive more to be politically correct…than to preach the pure word
of the Bible.
I am guilty too…I am stepping on my own toes here as I write
this morning. For I described my own weak prayer routine that I have known for
some time is way too little effort for a God that gave everything to save me. But I feel a new hope…for I set the alarm on
my phone to pray for someone this morning.
They ask for a special prayer…at a special time…so I found myself
pulling out the journal…and writing this one down. May he give me strength and passion to move
out of my routines more often….and bless others with the power of his love
through prayer.
Father…I thank you for this story that reminds me that your
blessings are always there if I choose to follow your ways. Help me this morning to recommit my promise
to you…to follow all your commands…so that your blessings will begin to flow
through my life and change the hearts of those around me that see you as a mere
good luck charm. Help me to see your power manifested in others because I take
the time to really pray for them….and intercede on their behalf. I pray this morning not just for me…but for
everyone who sees you as just a good luck charm. Give them a burden to know you in a deeper
way…a passion to follow your commands in their purest form…so the world we live
in can be a blessed nation once more. Amen.
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