Revelations 22:12-21

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Read Revelations 22:12-21 Verses for meditation: Revelations 22:12-13, 16, 20-21 ESV: 12 "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Reflect How does it feel to be reading the very last few verses of the bible? What do the proclamations, the last few of them, say about Christ? Come, Lord Jesus! Does this really express our desire? How does the greatest book end, and on what note? But is this really the end? Relate With mixed feelings, I'm writing this last devotion based on the final ten verses of the greatest book, the bible. What a journe...
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1 Kings 16:15 - 17:24

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Read


Read 1 Kings 16:15-17:24

Verse chosen for meditation: 1 Kings 17:24 ESV

And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”


Reflect


Why did the succeeding kings of Israel become increasingly evil? What made them evil in the eyes of the LORD?


What do kings, widow and drought have to do with God?


What's the difference between sparing and saving; removing and replacing?

How is this relevant?


Relate


The kings of Israel became evil in their practice of idolatry, the worship of idols, which resulted in the pervasiveness of the practice in a country where God should be the only one worshipped. Each succeeding king would do nothing, but up the ante on Baal and Asherah worship in an attempt to outdo one another. 


As truth got progressively obscured, visibility was given to idols raised on poles and placed on pedestals. The take - home message was to believe in what you see and worship what you can see. Then, with gratification paying off, the whole seduction process promptly kicked in. And so, one king after another would leverage on the soft power of idolatry since it all boiled down to gratification and power play.


It was during such evil time that God sent drought to the land to show that he was still the LORD of the land. And that no Baal or Asherah could reverse what he, the LORD, had brought about. This was to serve as a stern warning to those who had fallen astray. However, the first person to find his way out of the crisis was arguably none other than Elijah, the prophet, who experienced the divine power of the LORD's intervention by being incredulously fed by ravens.


Whereas for the rest of the people, despite turning to their gods, there was no alleviation or letting up of their dire situations. Times like this only made it possible to tell apart the true God from the false god, and the good king from the bad king. Needless to say, the poor and marginalised were left to fend for themselves by the false gods and bad kings.


On the other hand, the least of them was still remembered by the true God. Noting their plight, he sent Elijah to the aid of a widow who was planning a last meal with her son before taking their own lives. 


From the widow's story, we also learn of the difference between 'spare' and 'save'. Both the widow and her son were spared from the drought, but the son was further saved from death. Saving involves more giving than sparing as more is demanded from the one who saves than spares.


Take this oft - quoted verse for instance (Romans 8:32):

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?


If God had only spared his Son to let him live among us, but had not given him up for us on the Cross, would we all have been saved?


To save requires the going the extra distance, and not stopping at sparing.


Likewise, for removing and replacing, this quote from the late Tim Keller, author of Counterfeit God, says it well: If you uproot (remove) an idol in your life and fail to plant the love of Christ in its place (replace), the idol will grow back...


Whatever, nothing delights the LORD more than the contrite confession and unshakeable conviction of his people such as those declared and demonstrated by the widow. 


Seems that no matter how idolatrous the time is, the LORD will still find a true worshipper.


Rest


Lord, forgive us. For relegating you to the backbench. For calling upon you only when we need you. For pursuing idols of our own making. For falling prey to the seduction of idolatrous trappings. Help us to be the true worshipper  we're meant to be.


Naville Chia


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