God Uses Foolishness and Evil
Today’s reading: 2 Chronicles 8:1-11:17
My selection: 2 Chronicles 10:15
So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the Lord might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
My reflections: Rehoboam’s foolish decision to listen to the youthful counselors instead of the older ones illustrates how God works through men to accomplish His purposes and plans. The Lord had already revealed to Jeroboam through the prophet Ahijah that He was going to tear away ten tribes from the kingdom and give them to Jeroboam (I Kings 11:29-39). Rehoboam acted according to his own inclinations and bears the responsibility for his actions and the consequences. But God’s will was done according to the prophecy.
My challenge: We must not become apathetic, foolish or negligent in our work or decisions with a fatalistic attitude that says “what we do doesn’t matter, because God is sovereign.” God is sovereign, but He calls us to faithfulness and wisdom in our work and responsibilities. When we fail we should repent and seek His forgiveness. When we do well we should be confident that our “labor is not in vain in the Lord” I Co. 15:58.
We must never claim that since God accomplishes His purposes even by means of the foolishness and evil of men, our foolishness and evil are really good things.
Be faithful today. Be wise today. When you are not, repent, and seek forgiveness knowing that His mercy is new every morning.
Tomorrow’s reading: 2 Chronicles 11:18-16:14