June 23rd, 21

Jehu's devotion was extreme and violent. He personified a radical devotion and zeal for the Lord. The results were the elimination of all worship  Baal 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. And sometimes those results have nothing to do with God. Our real need is for peace, not violence. Our real need is for right standing with God, and enjoying 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. Holy jihad is not the answer. There's only one man whose zeal can achieve what must be done in my life and in 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. Rather, it was God's radical commitment to lay down his life in co-suffering love for the whole world, for those near and far that accomplishes what is needed. jehu is a flawed picture of this.

You are loved!