Reflections

So I was going through one of Chuck Smith's Bible studies on the book of 2nd Chronicles (check it out here 2nd Chronicles 18-20) and I've noticed an interesting trend. For one thing, almost every single king falls prey to his/her own devices and starts setting up temples of Baal and Asherah poles, and sometimes this happens almost right after triumphing over a significant obstacle by virtue of the mercy of God. It gave me cause to pause, because these kings aren't the only ones guilty, we are too.


Why do we do that? It reminds me of what Paul says in Romans 7:15 -- "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." How peculiar! We really are born in sin and shaped in iniquity. It's almost as though we'll believe for a while, God will overcome, and then...party! "Hey guys, let's go set up an Asherah pole!" Yeesh. Most disturbing of all is that I see myself in all of that..."okay God I have an exam in a week, I need your help!" and this is me after not having fed on His word for ages, much less even had a devotional. If people make time for what they are interested in, then I am certainly guilty of not being interested enough! And so were the people of the time as depicted in the book of Chronicles.

Having recently been married, I've had to ask myself some very hard questions--the most common of which must be "Do I have what it takes?" Some might say this is taking place after the fact...but really and truly, I think everyone returns to that question time and time again, both before and after. Checks and balances I suppose. I pray almost constantly that I'll be a good husband--that I'll love my wife faithfully and that I will learn to lead by the example set forth by Christ. But to fill such big shoes...is a daunting task. When the care of another is in your hands, one's perspective of the world changes somewhat and it really requires some amount of personal fortitude to deal with. But at the end of day, it all comes down to brokenness doesn't it. I can't do this alone. One of my favourite verses is John 14:14, in which Jesus says "Ask me for anything in my name and I will do it." It is always with the grace of God that we are empowered to do just about anything at all. I pray that, unlike some of those kings, I will not forget this.

Things are different now--a boy is now a man. Childish things are gone and it's time to get serious about my convictions, goals and dreams. May the Lord grant myself and my wife (and just about anyone finding themselves in a similar position) the courage, strength and love to overcome all obstacles both here in the present and also in the future.