After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly. And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works.” Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
Memory Verse: Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21.
A few weeks ago, my daughter brought a new book home from school titled “Moan Moan Moan” by Julia Donaldon to practise her reading, In the book, a little girl had a goldfish which was always staring at her, my assumption was that the girl only lived with her mum and the goldfish as the book only captured them both but basically her mum always told her what to do, what not to do, where to go, where not to go and the rest alike. Her mother was educating her on what was best for her, but the little girl felt bothered by her mum’s instructions and tagged her mum as someone who moans. She loved her goldfish more because her goldfish never moaned so she said she wished her goldfish was her mum – very funny!
The little girl did not have enough information about life to guide through the right part and her mum who had more experience was protecting her, but the girl could only see her mother as someone making her life difficult and miserable. A lot of the choices her mum guided her towards making would mould her for the rest of her life but who wants a mother that’s constantly moaning?
A lot of us are like that little girl, me inclusive as we see life just at the surface. We therefore get into a lot of mess not because we are bad or don’t know what we are doing but because our choice of association matters.
Many times, a Christian will ask you in church, why does 2 Corinthians 6:14 mean? Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? If permitted, various people can then start to twist and turn various verses of the bible until thy convince themselves that they can do contrary to the word of God because as far as their decision is concerned the Bible similarly perfectly represents the mother described in the story book Moan Moan Maon. For people like that they believe the bible is full of so many instructions that it limits their ability to make choices for themselves.
King Jehoshaphat was a good king, he feared the Lord and always enquired from the Lord before making decisions, but he had a weak point which almost led to his death very earlier on in his life. He constantly finds a way to make the wrong choices particularly with those he surrounds himself with. Despite his love for God, He was always hoovering around people who were headed for destruction hence why he went to the battle field with King Ahab and almost got himself killed 2 Chronicles 18.
Again, we see King Jehoshaphat in today’s reading forming alliances with King Ahaziah and as a result, his investment in that business was wasted. Like King Jehoshaphat, Many of us Christians loves the lord but make wrong choice in many areas of life from the company we keep to the people we surround ourselves with and as a result our lives do not display the glory of the Lord. The result we get out of certain things in live is as a result of what we sow in them. King Jehoshaphat sowed in friendship with King Ahaziah, and he reaped destruction 2Chronicles 20:36-37.
The Holyspirt is our guide to making the right choices in all areas of life and our choices could be the difference between where we are and where we ought to be – Choose wisely always.
PRAYERS:
- Father I thank You for You are my guide and divine direction
- Thank you for your word which gives life and understanding to the people
- Help me to walk in your paths, choose right, depend on you and not be misguided by men
- I thank You for your unlimited victories which I experience daily
- Help me to see more of you and less of me.
- Help me to be in unity with you Lord and be united as part of the body of Christ.
- Bring me to the understanding to see you for direction always and not be self-reliant
- Help me to be kind and generous to others, fulfilling your commandment of love
- Forgive my sins Lord and answer my prayers, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
