Monday, April 27, 2015

Monday Thought -- April 27, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

King Ahab of Israel was among the wickedest kings in all of Israel’s history. Yet even a king as wicked as Ahab had opportunity after opportunity to see God at work and turn toward Him.

The king of Aram came against Samaria and a prophet of God came to Ahab with this word, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the LORD.’” (1 Kings 20:13)

The prophet gave instructions to Ahab about how he and his army were to fight this battle. God gave Ahab and the army a great victory over the king of Aram. Then the prophet returned to Ahab to warn him that the king of Aram would return the next spring to do battle again. Sure enough the army returned the next spring.

The prophet came back to Ahab with a word about the new battle. “This is what the LORD says:  ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the LORD.’” (1 Kings 20:28)

Again, God did as the prophet had predicted and gave the victory to Ahab and the army of Israel.

Time and again God had provided clear evidence that He existed and that He was willing to come to the aid of Ahab and the people of Israel. Still Ahab walked a path of wickedness and ignored the commands of the Lord.

People don’t reject God because He is not at work in the world. They don’t reject Him because they see no evidence of His existence. He makes Himself known in many, many ways. He gives opportunity after opportunity for people to see His work and to turn toward Him. People reject God because they want to go their own way … be their own king … do what they want.

That’s the story of Ahab … and the story of many, many people in our day, too.

His, by Grace,


Steve

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