2 Chronicles starts with a sensational lesson right out the gates.
The background story of 1 & 2 Chronicles is a recapturing of events that have been written about in previous books, but Biblical Historians note that there is a deepening of information captured in 1 & 2 Chronicles. It is no surprise then that 2 Chronicles which starts with the reign of David’s son, Solomon, after 1 Chronicles ends with David’s death after much detail of David’s conquests, failures and humbling before God.
David-a man after God’s heart- is so us that we are fools to not study him in detail. He starts a nobody and judged shepherd boy, gets picked by God, faces cancel-culture from Saul and his ilk, becomes king, makes massive conquests, gets arrogant, fails some, sins badly, is humbled mightily, and repents greatly.
I know that I can be a David- rising and falling, as I stumble over my humanness needing to be resurrendered to God’s Will.
Yourself?
2 Chronicles 1 vs 7-12, just blows my mind.
God grants Solomon an ask. Solomon chooses knowledge and wisdom to govern Israel.
But notice vs 9, God replies, “Because this was in your heart.”
This verse 9 is E V E R Y T H I N G.
How often do you and I pray for stuff, but it isn’t really our renewed heart praying, but our old man/woman heart still not surrendered to God Will?
Notice later God commends Solomon for NOT asking FOR,”Possessions, wealth, honour, revenge, or a long life.”
This tells me that there is a clear line in the sand between authentic asking that seeks to be useful to God’s Purposes versus superficiality that by default of God’s Desire for us to have what we need we will get to the stuff. After all Jesus, Himself, tells us in Matthew 6 vs 33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
A PERSONAL STORY:
In rehab #5 I was on the back of the truck with the other dudes going to our dorm set in a magnificent forest. I was minding my own business, staring at the stars, intimidated by the volume of testosterone in truck.
Suddenly, a voice, as in an audible voice asked me this question, “Arion, do you want me, or do you want what I can do for you?”
In this moment God COMPLETELY shattered my paradigm, exposing my superficial approach to Jesus.
I misguidedly, wanted:
*Christ to wave a magic wand and make me perfect so that I could show off my righteousness and avoid being judged by others.
(The truth was that I didn’t want to suffer my suffering to heal)
*Christ to make me a billionaire so that I could flash money by giving to the poor based on my ideas of social-justice.
(The truth was I wanted to earn validation by appearing to be good)
*Christ to make me influencial so that I could wield power against bad people as I reckoned who was bad versus not.
(The truth was that I was seeking revenge and power to protect myself)
2 Chronicles 1 vs 7-19 resonates so deeply within me, bringing me to tears.
12 years ago God saved me from myself, by NOT granting me my unrenewed heart’s desire, and saved humanity from a hurt man that easily could have, deludedly, become a monster-dictator.
Steadily, since that crushing of self-righteousness and replacing it with the humility to admit my wrong, guided towards wisdom and knowledge, and a love affair for God, Christ has not only given me a Bachelor of Theology, but has shifted my focus from the stuff to craving to show others how STUNNINGLY INCREDIBLE JESUS is.
Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit is the love of my life, and I pray that you too will ask God to shatter your paradigms by exposing superficial faith and giving you God-Filled-Purpose-Faith instead.
Jesus 💙💙💙 us.
Rock today in wisdom and knowledge.
🔥
#Hayibo 