6.15.8 "It's a Lot of Work"

"It's a Lot of Work"

I Kings 14:1-15:24
Acts 10:1-23
Psalm 133:1-3
Proverbs 17:7-8

In I Kings 11, Solomon dies. Because of Solomon's disobedience in allowing the worship of other Gods, the kingdom of Israel is divided into two kingdoms. The tribe of Judah, where Jerusalem is, remains under the reign of David's descendants. The rest of Israel begins under the reign of Jeroboam. Thus begins a cycle of rebellion against God. In reading of these circumstances, you get almost sick thinking about how God must feel about their sin. And, of course, how he feels about our sin. The following thoughts are a result of reading the stories in I Kings 14 & 15.

It's a lot of work to live a partially obedient life.

Each day you wake up you have to handle whatever situation comes up in your own strength. When your child is sick, you have to have your wife go to the prophet in disguise (I Kings 14:1-18) hoping to get a good word from God. You know you can't approach with confidence, because you've been disobedient. You know you're not right with God. That's a alot of work.

It's a lot of work to live in sin.

At first it seems easier to let the people worship as they choose in the countryside, but pretty soon everyone has "built shrines and obelisks and idols on every high hill and under every green tree." (I Kings 14:23) And homosexuality runs rampant throughout the land. At first it seemed so easy to do as you please, but when you realize you've become "as depraved as the heathen nations which the Lord drove out to make room for his people" (I Kings 14:24), you realize you've angered the Lord. To live with that heaviness on your heart, that's alot of work!

It's alot of work to walk outside of the blessing of the Lord.

You don't know who your next enemy will be. It may be the King of Egypt who came and stole the sacred things from the temple, even the gold shields Solomon had made. It's alot of work to make bronze ones to replace them to try to bring back some of the glory. It's alot of work to have guards take them out each time the king comes to the temple to make it look like there is still honor in this place. (I Kings 14: 25-28) Trying to make it look like everything is ok, That's alot of work.

It's alot of work to be at war with your brothers.

Especially when you know deep down that you are at war because of the sins of your fathers, and regretfully your own. This has created a civil war that has divided the people of God. You know what you were created to be like: A great nation... a sign to nations around the world of the greatness of God... but now you sell the sacred things of the temple to buy allegiance from heathen nations to salvage a sense of peace.... So much energy spent on vengeance... that's alot of work.

It SEEMS like a lot of work to make it all right again.

You know those around you will be "put out" by your decision to do right. You know there are relationships that will have to die. You know that part of you will die. It SEEMS like it may not be worth it. To swallow your pride... That's alot of work.

It's alot of work to pay the price of sin.

It requires a sacrifice greater than any man can pay. It's a debt that cannot be satisfied. Only one could pay that price, and did. THAT was alot of work!

To live the obedient life in the timing and blessing of God is the only way to go. At first the journey seems too long and challenging, but the journey is made up of small steps directed by one who sees the map in it's entirety. There are times when it would seem so easy to step off the road of obedience and rest by a pool of comfort, or taste the forbidden fruit of selfish desire, but in the end, THAT'S ALOT OF WORK!



Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


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