The Lord is Just

When God made his covenant with Israel he required their full obedience (Ex. 19:5). Israel’s protection and possession of the land was part of that covenant and they had failed to obey God’s laws even at some of the most basic levels. While Israel prospered, they forgot their dependence on God. It was only when their relative comfort was threatened that they listened to God’s prophet.

And yet God in His grace had mercy on them. Not because they deserved it, but because there was still a little bit of good in Judah and they were humble enough to recognise that they could do nothing to save themselves. This is all God asks and yet it’s not all that He desires. At the end of this passage we read that Rehoboam “did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord.”

How are you doing with seeking the Lord? In our comfort, we get complacent, we form bad habits and neglect our relationship with God. Sometimes we don’t even realise how far we’ve strayed until we get a sharp wake up call. While the minimum is humbling ourselves and repenting in the face of God’s justice, we will do so much better if we consistently seek the Lord.

Thought Point

Do you rely on a pattern of turning to God when things get really bad and complacency when things are going well?

Prayer Point

Spend time in God’s presence. Seek His heart for you today.