June 22nd, 20

JUNE 22,  God is Passionately Committed to Our Freedom

Today’s readings are II Kings 10, II Chronicles 22-23, and I Timothy 5.  We are reading from the New Living Translation.

Jehu says, Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD. (II Kings 10:16 NIV)  

Now come with me, and see how devoted I am to the LORD. (NLT)

Jehu’s devotion was extreme and violent.  He personified a radical devotion and zeal for the Lord.  The results were the elimination of Baal worship in Judah, and many dead people.  

Like Jehu, our devotion and zeal, as great as it might be, may yield results, but it’s not the ultimate answer that we’re looking for.  Our real need is for peace, not violence.  Our real need is for right standing with God and joy in this life.  Our zeal might get results but it’s not the results we really need.  The zeal of the most zealous man is not enough.  It’s not the answer. There’s only one man whose zeal can achieve what must be done in my life, and this world.  And it’s not Jehu, or you, or me that achieves it. And the results are not the shedding of another’s blood.  It was the shedding of Jesus’ blood and his radical commitment to lay down his own life for those who are near and far from God, that accomplished what was needed. Salvation, life, and freedom are available to all who are willing to lay down their life, and receive his in exchange.  Jehu is a flawed picture of this. In Isaiah 9 we see a far better picture of the person who would accomplish freedom for us. Isa 9:6-7

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.  The government will rest on his shoulders.  And he will be called:  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  His government and its peace will never end.  He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!  (Isa 9:6-7 NLT)

His zeal, not Jehu’s, has won, for you and me, all that we need to start anew, to have strength, and joy, and a new beginning.  Rest in the results of his zeal, and no one else’s.  No one else’s will do.  Christ has done for us what no man could do.  He has achieved for us, our life.

You are loved!