In our OT passage today we again see the sovereignty of God displayed - both in the battles/famine and in the rise and fall of the kings of Judah and Israel.
One thing that is important to note is how much an unbelieving spouse contributed to the downfall of a king and, therefore, a kingdom. We saw it with Solomon, and we see it again with Jehoram, as well as Ahaziah (whose mother was Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel). The long term spiritual impact on a family cannot be underestimated when we choose to go outside of God's will and marry someone who is not a believer. This is a vital truth that we need to teach to our children - who they choose to marry is so key to their lives and the lives of their children and their children after them.
In our NT passage it can be somewhat discouraging to read the parable of the sower and how much of the seed falls on unfruitful ground. It can make us discouraged to bother sowing the seed. But the truth is - some seed falls on faithful ground, and we cannot always tell what soil is good soil and what is not. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to prepare the soil, it is our job to spread the seed.
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: 2 Kings 10-12; Matthew 13:31-58
3 comments:
I like how Jesus uses parables to get His point across. Up until Jesus time, most people had never heard of this way of making a point. To us who've heard these parables many times, sometimes we read through them quickly because we know how they end and what point they make, but to the people back in Jesus time, they were hearing the gospel for the first time.
Matthew 13:10 "And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given".
I had thought the same thing in the OT passage about marrying an unbeliever and the impact it can have. As our kids become older, they become closer to selecting who they feel will be their life long mate.
I pray that our kids will find a spouse who loves God and will seek Him first.
Tammy, I thought about our job to plant the seed too. We've been singing a song in Chapel this year and the lyrics came to my mind as I read the passage from Matthew:
Be a Sower
Be a sower, plant a seed
Let it grow into a tree
Give it water, watch it grow
And give it the love that it needs
Be humble, and gentle, and always keep looking for peace
He makes the sun rise, on the good and the evil
Rain fall, on the rocks and the weeds
Let’s be loving, to one another
Join in God’s circle of peace
Be a listener, listen close
When you find a friend in need
Talk to Jesus,
Jesus knows
And He’ll give you comfort and peace
Be a dreamer, work for peace
Turn your sword into a plough
With our neighbours, we will seek
To make change as
God shows us how
It is our job to sow the seed and up to God to allow it to grow.
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