Click here to read II Kings 14 on BibleGateway.com
Well, my friends, welcome back. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, such as sunspots, crippling illness, and laziness, EverydayDevotions has been on hiatus for a couple months. However, we’re happy to announce that we’re back up and running, and we’re glad to be joining you once again for our journey through Holy Writ. Or random thoughts about the Bible. Whichever makes you happier.
So, jumping back into things, we are on II Kings 14 today, right smack in the middle of the Israelite monarchy. There’re few things more enjoyable than a romp through Biblical history, with the possible exception of a romp though a room filled with bacon. The thick cut kind. Awesomeness.
DON’T GO THERE
In any case, today we met Amaziah, the son of a great king, and an all around decent guy in his own right.Unfortunately, Amaziah had one big problem: pride. During one of his military campaigns, Amaziah defeated a weaker neighboring country, mainly because that’s what kings do. However, he let his victory over the local 3rd grader go to his head, and he soon got a little too big for his toga, and decided to attack the bodybuilding 25 year old on his northern border.
You gotta hand it to the northern king, he honestly tried to warn Amaziah off. But, to no avail, and Amaziah soon found himself on the business end of the historical whupping stick, and most likely taken into exile along with all his rich goodies. Whoops.
So, what can we take from this somewhat ironic tale? Simply put, to be content with what you have. In Luke 3:12-14, we read of John the Baptist giving advice to various groups of people, such as tax collectors (don’t collect more than required) and soldiers (be content with your pay). The Bible reiterates this thought over and over, but we tend to gloss over it in order to focus on “worse” sins.
JUST A LITTLE MORE….
How many times have we thought “I just need a newer car,” or “I just need a raise, and everything will be good,” or “if only I had a few nice outfits to wear to church.” The story of Amaziah reminds us that we need to content with where we are, and not try to grab more than what God has provided.
In fact, the Bible is more serious about this problem of desiring more stuff than we like to admit. “Do not covet” is one of the ten commandments, after all, though we like to think that wanting “nice stuff” is not as bad as murder. According to God, they are on the same level. Are you sure you really need that new Ipad? Do you want it bad enough to kill for it?
This is a tough lesson for people in the Western world, as material possessions are often seen as a sign of God’s blessing. However, the challenge for today is to look long and hard at the things we feel we “need,” and ask ourselves before God if they are really needs, or are we guilty of the sin of coveting?