2 Kings – Chapter 11

And he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the Lord, while Athaliah reigned over the land. 2 Kings 11:3 – While there is a good amount of odd sounding names and good amount of background details needed to fully grasp what’s going on, here is a snapshot to help you get the fuller picture. Athaliah was the mother of the recently killed king of Judah. Hearing that her son was killed, she chose to kill everyone else in her family so she could take the throne, almost wiping out the line of David. Thankfully one small prince of the king’s family was secretly saved and eventually was made king, but as we see in the passage above, this murderous “queen” to hold of the kingdom for 6 whole years and no one stopped her. The question then is why? Why did no one try to stop her or stand in her way? Likely the people thought there was no other option. They believed she was the only one alive of the king’s family, so she was their only option to follow. Yet, there was another, and they just needed to become aware of the true king in their story. Such is the situation our world is in today. Many are following Satan and his sinful ways because they believe there is no other option. They don’t know about Jesus, the true king, and they aren’t aware that they can choose a different person to follow than Satan. That’s where we come in, we have the responsibility to tell them there is a true king in this story and they have a choice on who they follow. They aren’t trapped only following this sham of a “king,” for the true king, King Jesus, is alive and seeking followers. Follow Jesus and be about helping other people know the true King is on the throne. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3077

Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign. 2 Kings 11:21 – We need to stop seeing age as a hindrance to God. Jehoash was seven when he became king. Moses was 80 when he began to lead the people out of Egypt. God brought hope to the world through baby Jesus being born. Age isn’t a problem to God some wherever you land on the timeline know you’re still useable to God. What we must be willing to do is not be the hinderance ourselves to God wanting to work through us or work through someone else. While our age doesn’t stop God, our lack of faith that God can use someone of our age can. We tell ourselves we’re useless to God right now and that’s what we’ll get. We can also speak over someone telling them they are too young or too old for God to use them. That too can put a halt to what God is doing through them because they now see themselves as useless to God anymore. Trust that God is bigger than an age. If a teenage feels called to step up and lead, give them a chance. If a senior adult feels called to start a new ministry, give them a chance. We must stop limiting God and all that starts with telling yourself that God can use you too no matter what age you are. So what is God leading you to do? I love you, but Jesus loves you more -Mac – Daily DEVO 382

And the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house on behalf of the king. 2 Kings 11:11 – Often those young in the faith aren’t fully ready yet to step into all that God has planned for them. In those times, we need to be willing to stand by them, guard them, and support them till they are ready. Joash was to be king, but he was also 7 years old. He needed protection and guidance to fully be able to step into the plans God had for Him. How can you then today lean into the life of someone who is beginning their walk with God? How can you guide, protect, and support them? Train your heart to not overlook those young in the faith. You never know the role God has in store for them or what opposition they are facing. Invest in their future. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1034

And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people, that they should be the Lord’s people, and also between the king and the people. 2 Kings 11:17 – More drama over thrones is happening within this chapter. A mother, after hearing her son the king was killed, instead of mourning took this as a chance to claim the throne herself by seeking to kill her whole family. Thankfully a young prince was spared and hidden until the right time, but what we see is just more and more chaos because of sin. What was needed was someone to use their voice, use whatever power they had been given by God, to stand up for God and make it clear the right path to go. Finally, that’s what we see happen here in our verse. Despite the sinfulness all around and even though it would have been much easier to stay silent, Jehoiada stood up for the Lord. Will you? Maybe the chaos we see in these chapters isn’t exactly what’s happening in your home or workplace or relationship, but nevertheless sin is still there and may even be reigning in power. Will you stand, speak, and use the gifts God has blessed you with to stand in the way of the enemy? Our world needs followers of Jesus, living as Jesus lived, standing in the way of those following the enemy to guide them to Jesus. Stand up for Jesus and stand in the way of the enemy having any more victory in the lives of those you love. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2217