RTW June 10
The Source of My Strength
The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.
2 Chronicles 16:9a
My Takeaways
Something Old
Search is a present tense verb. to go, go or rove about, go to and fro, go eagerly or quickly to and fro, to run to and fro
Strengthen: grow firm.
Fully committed: at peace; just; right; wholly devoted
How do we keep our hearts at peace with Him?
- Spend time with Him
- Stay in His Word
- Stop trusting my own understanding and trust Him.
- Surrender to His instructions
The issue is not the strength of God or His willingness to use His strength. The issue is the loyalty of my heart.
When I feel weak, I need to check my commitment level.
Something New
There was constant war between King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel. 1 Kings 15:16 How tiring! The word constant wears me out.
Something to Do
My Take Aways: More Kings
Something Old: Israel’s Kings there seemed to be many) continue to be wicked, doing everything to provoke God and receiving his wrath. On the other hand Judah’s King, Jehoshaphat, was a righteous king who honored God.
Something New: “In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent out his officials to teach in all the towns of Judah… They took copies of the Book of the Law of the Lord and traveled around through all the towns of Judah, teaching the people” (2 Chronicles 17:7-9). How wonderful to hear how important it was for King Jehoshaphat to make his people biblically literate. He knew the importance of religious education. I think the King realized that without teaching God’s commands how were the people to live the way they should. King Jehoshaphat knew that the people had to worship and obey God, but in order to obey Him, they had to know what He says, and to know what He says, they had to hear what He says. By doing these things he was able to reverse the religious decline. In order for me to follow God He has to be on my mind and His ways must be instilled in my heart. When I am taught the word and hear the word God takes care of the rest- He gives me a sense of commitment and mission just like he did for the people in Judah.
Something To Do: Stay connected to believers, attend church regularly, stay in the word. Don’t be afraid to share with others what I know and have learned. That last thought is for all my RTW friends. Just think of the many people you could help by sharing what you know. I know you place a high priority on Scripture intake or you would not be reading the Bible in a year. So come on and help me and others grow, by posting your thoughts. 🙂
The 2 Chronicles 17:7-9 verses resonated with me as well. I am an educator so I was impressed that Jehoshaphat thought it important to teach the people. Not only the officials went to teach, but also some Levites and priestswent along. It was an important undertaking. How fortunate these people were to live under a king who was “deeply committed to the ways of the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 17:6) I also feel fortunate to live in a place where I can worship God freely without fear. Let’s pray for Christians around the world who may be oppressed without the same freedom of worship that we enjoy. ??
Darena, I’m an educator too. You are so right, how blessed we are to have the opportunity to worship freely. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, it makes RTW so much more interesting and fun with more input from others. It feels more like a real Bible study when I read other comments. It really helps me in my understanding. The more I can read others thoughts, the more I can gain and learn from others.