Today's reading is 1 Kings 20:23-22:9, 2 Chronicles 18:1-8
Scripture:
1 Kings 21:2-3
2 Ahab said to Naboth, "Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth."3 But Naboth replied, "The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."
Observation:
It is not always easy to follow God's commands when we are tempted by gain.
Application:
Temptation. It. happens. every. day. We are constantly being tempted and challenged in our faith and our ability to follow God's desire for our lives. Standing firm on our beliefs and not wavering in our commitment to Christ in a constant choice that we need to make. I love the song "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns and the message that it has about how we don't often blatantly choose a drastic bad choice but it is a series of steps that lead us down a path that we had never intended to be on. When Ahab asks Naboth for his vineyard, Ahab offers him fair market value for the land and even offers a better one to Naboth. I wonder if Naboth considered, even if just for a moment, cashing in on the deal. The passage seems to indicate that Naboth's response was immediate but I wonder if the thought crossed Naboth's mind that he could benefit financially from selling that land for a good price. Was he tempted to disobey God's commands? Was Naboth doing well that he didn't need the extra money? Would the situation have been different if Naboth had been poor and needed the money? Regardless, Naboth made the deliberate choice to stay true to his commitment to God and to not stray from his promise.
This story did not turn out for Naboth EVEN though he did the right thing. The king whined and acted like a child and his wife orchestrated and executed a plan for Naboth that ultimately ended his life. Standing up to temptation does not always mean things will work out for us. In fact, it is rarely easy and often ends up turning up badly in the short term. Not giving into the temptation to gossip may leave you in a place where you are the one talked about. Not giving in to the temptation to steal may leave you in financial hardship. Not giving into the temptation to seek comfort in another person that is not your husband or wife could leave you feeling alone. However, when you consider the long term gain by following God's commands, it negates any short term gain. If Naboth had sold his land and made a profit it may have been a great benefit in that moment, but long term, it would have impacted his family and friends to compromise on their commitment to God and instead Naboth passed on a legacy of a faith in God that did not waver even if it took his life.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, You never promised us a life of luxury and ease when we decided to become a part of your family. We are constantly tempted to compromise on our beliefs and challenged to be true to our decision to follow You. It is not our intention to take small steps and to make a "slow fade" to a path that differs from Your plan but occasionally we get side tracked. Lord, You promised that You would always be there for us I pray that You will help us to not be tempted by short term gain. I pray that you will give us a long - term focus so that we can strive to follow Your plan regardless of the cost. Amen.
Tomorrow's Readings are 1 Kings 22:10-28; 2 Chronicles 18:9-27; 1 Kings 22:29-35; 2 Chronicles 18:28-34; 1 Kings 22:36-40; 1 Kings 22:51-53; 2 Chronicles 19-20:30
1 comment:
I love that song too Pam! I think it is so true to reality adn an excellent reminder how vigilant we have to be about being in the Word so we can recognize when we start that slow fade and stop it before it's too late.
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