- And Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built in Judah fortresses and store cities…2 Chronicles 17:12 – I just love how it’s put here, he steadily grew greater. The king made the choice to follow God himself. He also made the choice to give His people the opportunity to hear the Word of God. His devotion to God and how God was with him became known to nations all around. As a result God cause him to grow steadily greater. It wasn’t an immediate outpouring of strength or power or wealth. As he steadily continued after the Lord God caused him to grow steadily greater in these things. We have to keep in mind this is often how God works and blesses. Of course He can drown His followers in immediate blessing and sometimes He does, but often the growth comes steadily over time. Meaning don’t be frustrated if you are giving you’re all to God yet not seeing the growth as quickly as you desire it to come. Know God sees your steadfastness and God will bring about the growth you need. Trust His timing on the growth. As we walk faithfully we’ll see that growth out of our struggle with sin, we see the growth in our knowledge of Him, and we’ll even see the growth in others around us. Just stay steady after Him when the growth comes steadily instead of immediate. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1531
- In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; 8 and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 And they taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them. They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people. 2 Chronicles 17:7-9 – Our next king of Judah is Jehoshaphat, and he at this time would certainly be considered a faithful to the Lord king. Not only did he himself walk in the ways of the Lord, we see here that he made sure others knew how to follow the Lord as well. Jeho sent some of his leading officials alongside the Levites to go throughout the cities of Judah and teach the people the law of God. Many would have been unable to read, or at least unable to have access to the writings of scripture, so many in these villages and cities may not have known the law of the Lord like they should. Yet, because of the efforts of these men going out and sharing the word of God, the people who may not have known the word of the Lord before do now. As crazy as it may seem to you, especially if you’ve grown up in church, so many people around you are like these people in the cities of Judah. They lack knowledge of God’s word and may have never actually heard it before. They may have a skewed version of Jesus in their mind, if any thoughts of Jesus are there to begin with. Our role is to be like the men in our passage. To go out, into the cities, share the word of the Lord, so all those that may not know it can know it. Find some way today to somehow share some part of God’s word to someone. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2606
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