Daily Devotional
February 5 - 11, 2010
February 5
II Kings 22-24
"And it came about that when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he tore his clothes" (22:11). Young King Josiah was the son and grandson of wicked men (ch 21). Righteousness had been forgotten in Judah by the time he took the throne. Despite his terrible family history, when Josiah first encountered the "book of the law" (God's covenant with Israel), he was devastated. His heart immediately responded to truth.
God does not judge us for our backgrounds, good or bad, but according to the way we respond to His voice.
February 6
II Kings 25
"And he burned the house of the Lord, the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem …" (v9). King Josiah had been a brilliant light of righteousness, but when he died, idolatry resumed (23:32). Josiah had destroyed the pagan altars and cleaned God's house, but the hearts of the people were not faithful. They had rejected God's ways and His covenant completely. So, just as the Assyrians had conquered Samaria in the north, now the Babylonians defeated and burned Jerusalem.
Righteous reformers like Josiah can open our eyes to truth, yet we must each choose to walk by faith.
February 7
Psalm 76
"The earth feared, and was still, when God arose to judgment, to save all the humble of the earth" (v9). If we ever think that God ignores the suffering of the innocent, the psalms correct us. "For the wrath of man shall praise Thee," it says, meaning that God will be glorified when He judges the earth (wrath implies judgment). "The humble" are always His concern, and there will come a time when He punishes those who oppress them.
"Who may stand in Thy presence when once Thou art angry?" (v7). Only the humble who trust in Jesus' righteousness.
February 8
Acts 25
"… but they simply have some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive" (v19). Paul was on trial for a belief, not an action. Of course, this belief had inspired Paul to preach in synagogues and in public and to associate with Gentiles. "Jesus is alive" didn't strike people as the harmless ravings of a lunatic - instead, it seemed to be a very dangerous and revolutionary idea.
When our belief is strong enough to inspire action, then "Jesus is alive" will transform the world around us.
February 9
Acts 26
"This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar" (v32). For some, Paul's imprisonment was a failure. He was not increasing in success or material goods, and he was not realizing personal goals. He had made the mistake of appealing to Caesar, so he was obligated to go to Rome for trial. Yet Paul preached about Jesus to Governor Felix, Festus, King Agrippa and Bernice, and all the other court officials. Being "set free" was not his main concern.
True freedom is learning to serve Jesus and be content "in whatever circumstances" (Phil 4:11).
February 10
I Chronicles 1-2
"The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishamel" (1:28), and others by his wife/concubine Keturah (v32). Sometimes we mistakenly read the Scriptures and think that, before Christ, God was only concerned about Abraham's line through Isaac. Chronicles mentions many other branches of the human tree. While the point of the Scriptures is to follow "the children of the promise" - the family produced and grown by faith - God remembered the rest of the world.
The descendants of Ishmael, Zimran, and others are precious to God. No matter who our ancestors were, we all become His children by faith in Jesus.
February 11
I Chronicles 3-4
"And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers …" Jabez is now quite famous, and his prayer adorns bookmarks and quilts. It is a very primitive prayer, surprising in its selfishness: "that Thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my border" (v10). Yet, "God granted him what he requested." We are reminded that God responds to all those who seek Him honestly, from the heart. We don't need to pretend to be holier than we are.
Our desires for success and comfort are natural. Rather than pursuing those dreams apart from Him, God calls us to deepest fulfillment in Him.
