- Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes. And they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 2 Chronicles 18:9 – What an intimidating presence. Both kings on their thrones in their royal robes, surrounded by hundreds of prophets all saying the same thing. Now if you were to share a message that joined in with what everyone was saying then this whole scene wouldn’t be too intimidating to approach. Yet what if your message was different? One that told of the king’s death? Of course they wouldn’t want to hear it, but it’s a message that had to be told. We too have a message that needs to be told and often the audience that needs to hear it will be intimidating. Talking about Jesus to our small group at church is easy, talking to our unbelieving family member or speaking out about Jesus in our school isn’t as easy. Will you though like Micaiah the prophet share what needs to be shared even in the face of such an intimidating presence? While the audience will change the message won’t. Pray to have the same fervor in speaking about Jesus no matter the audience. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1532
- And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” 13 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.” 2 Chronicles 18:12-13 – The kings of Israel and of Judah both were gathered together making plans to go to war against another country, but the king of Judah pushed to inquire of the Lord first on if this was the right move. Micaiah, the prophet of the Lord, is now being directed by this king’s messenger to go ahead and approve the war plan, especially since all the other false prophets were approving it. Micaiah’s response? Whatever God says is what I’ll say. Much like the Apostles in Acts saying we can’t help but speak of what we have seen and heard. So imagine if you were in a situation like Micaiah. You have an audience ready to hear a word from you on if something is a godly direction or not, and everyone around is saying it is, but you know from scripture it isn’t. Do you go with the easy path and match what everyone else is saying, or do you say what God says in scripture, even if it contradicts what everyone else is saying? It can be so hard to go against the flow and say/view/live differently than the people around you. The pressures to just do as everyone else does are everywhere. The consequences though of walking the path not of God are the same today as they were in these stories from scripture. Be then strong and be courageous, do not be dismayed when the voices of the world contradict the words of the Lord. Speak the truth of God and live out the word of the Lord. For this world doesn’t need any more people just going with the flow, they need followers of God being followers of God speaking the words of God to them. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2607
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