Friday, May 4, 2018

1 Kings 12:24 -- On Hearkening to and Investing in the Lord

"Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord."
1 Kings 12:24


According to verse 21, this was the message to about 180,000 people who had gathered for war, and the Lord through his prophet just told them to go home.  I really like the fact that they listened, and did as God had asked.

I think often in our own lives we get set on a course of action and if God tells us to let it go or return home, it is really hard to do, because we spent so much time and effort and often money on our current course.

The thing to remember here I think is that if we know that "this thing" (whatever it is in our own lives) is from the Lord, then that is what matters.  The only investments that matter are ones that the Lord approves of, and we should cut our losses immediately on anything other than that. 

In these verses, it was serious.  It meant splitting the 12 tribes of Israel and not being united.  They thought they were doing the right thing by gathering for war.  ... And we also think that we are doing right, or trying to make things work in a way that makes sense.  But when God shows us that isn't his will, we should, as these people did, pack up and go home.  Things with God will always work out for the best.  Things without him never will.

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