1 Chronicles 29:20-30; 2 Chronicles 1:1-4:10

I think on the the things that belong to God. If he is their God, are they not his too?

²⁰ Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God.” So they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the Lord and the king. (1 Chronicles 29:20, NIV)

The Lord’s presence is felt and acknowledged.

²¹ The next day they made sacrifices to the Lord and presented burnt offerings to him: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand male lambs, together with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. ²² They ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the Lord that day.

Then they acknowledged Solomon son of David as king a second time, anointing him before the Lord to be ruler and Zadok to be priest. (1 Chronicles 29:21-22, NIV, emphasis added)

I notice his presence.

Solomon son of David established himself firmly over his kingdom, for the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great. (2 Chronicles 1:1, NIV, emphasis added)

Solomon goes to meet the Lord and offer sacrifices. And the Lord meets him.

⁷ That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

⁸ Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. ⁹ Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. ¹⁰ Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

¹¹ God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, ¹² therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” (2 Chronicles 1:7-12, NIV)

When I realize what is the Lord’s, it changes things. My time. My life. My body. My ability. My home. My family. These are things the Lord has given me to steward for a time. And when I face this reality, why would I lean on my own limited understanding? Why would I not seek the Lord for his infinite wisdom?

Lord, when I prepare to work today, may I remember you in all the things. When I clean, when I weed, when I run, when I eat, when I interact with others–may I care for what you’ve given me with respect, tenderness and love. When Israel’s sacrifices were of the best, why wouldn’t I bring my best to you too? I want you in all the parts of my life. Without you, I wither and shrink. With you, I grow and thrive, fruitful.

Courtney (66books365)

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Judges 19-21; Mark 16

Now in those days Israel had no king (Judges 19:1a, NLT).

These are the opening words to a tragedy. A story that ends with this:

²⁵ In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25, NLT).

The tragic story in Judges 19-21 didn’t begin when the troublemakers of Gibeah beat on an old man’s door.

²² While they were enjoying themselves, a crowd of troublemakers from the town surrounded the house. They began beating at the door and shouting to the old man, “Bring out the man who is staying with you so we can have sex with him” (Judges 19:22, NLT).

It began here:

There was a man from the tribe of Levi living in a remote area of the hill country of Ephraim. One day he brought home a woman from Bethlehem in Judah to be his concubine. ² But she became angry with him and returned to her father’s home in Bethlehem (Judges 19:1b-2, NLT).

Whatever happened between them, I don’t know. But something happened, and she reacted. Likely, he didn’t count the cost of his actions. Surely, she didn’t count the cost of her actions. Catastrophe starts small, with an unchecked thought, word or action.

I sit with words, watching a scene unfold, grimacing at the abandonment (a host abandoning his daughter; a husband abandoning his wife; troublemakers abandoning all decency and mercy), eyes widening in shock as deaths mount by the thousands in a warfare of tribe against tribe.

I can look all over these scriptures and point out places where there’s fault. And maybe there’s something to their opening and end:

Now in those days Israel had no king (Judges 19:1a, NLT) … ²⁵ In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25, NLT).

Father God, you are Lord over all. Be Lord over my life. Be Lord over my heart. Be Lord over my words. Be Lord over my actions. I don’t want to be right in my own eyes. I want to live right by your standards. I only want your approval.

Courtney (66books365)

Lamentations 2-4, Hebrews 13

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land, to deny people their rights before the Most High, to deprive them of justice—would not the Lord see such things? Lamentations 3:31-36

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering… And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased…Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. Hebrews 13:1, 3, 15-17

Since the presidential election, the words of Hebrews seem to be good rules to live by. They are principals that guide us in godly behavior regardless of our feelings toward those who govern us. Our nation need our prayers. Our rulers need our respect and our cooperation.

My husband likes to remind me. If you believe the bible is the word of God, how can you then pick and choose what you want to obey?

If God is love, how can we then say we hate people in the opposing political party or ethnic group? I don’t like politics. I just wish we could love one another and get along regardless of our differences. My husband and I almost always cancel each others votes out, but we’ve been happily married for 33 years.

Lord, please help us to embrace the similarities and let go of our differences in this country, that others may see we can and will live up to the name, United States. In Jesus Name I pray.

yicareggie