June 2

“So they will learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.” “Indeed there was some good in Judah”

God taught Rehoboam (King of Judah) a big lesson that spoke to me today. King R. not only didn’t follow the Lord’s commands, he became involved in and led Judah into idolatry. God was angry and gave them into the hands of the King of Egypt. That is where we find the above verses. King R. and Judah humbled themselves before the Lord and God did not allow the King of Egypt to destroy Jerusalem, but they all became enslaved.

When I replace God with idols (money, earning potential, wit, effort, comfort in materials, security in relationships, preoccupation with building my empire – however small it may be…), yet I humble myself before the Lord, there may NOT be a full deliverance that is immediate. In fact I would dare to say that there hasn’t been, in most of my life, an experience of FULL deliverance at the point of repentance and humility. God lets the effect of my decisions linger to teach me and instruct me FOR my future. That is good revelation to me, but check this out - “Indeed there was some good in Judah”.

My challenge is this, will I settle for the SOME good I am having? Do I want to be fully free or is it o.k. to only have some of what God wants for me, which is total freedom. Total freedom comes at a cost – continued worship of only 1 God.

Eyes – don’t stray from the Lord as your all and everything! Look towards nothing else – and give your life to no other effort except that of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.