19/7/11 2 Kings 17; 2 Chronicles 28; Psalm 46; James 3
S: 2 Chronicles 28:9-10,14 But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there in Samaria when the army of Israel returned home. He went out to meet them and said, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah and let you defeat them. But you have gone too far, killing them without mercy, and all heaven is disturbed. And now you are planning to make slaves of these people from Judah and Jerusalem.” So the warriors released the prisoners and handed over the plunder in the sight of the leaders and all the people.
O: Israel had long gone apostate. They had one evil king after another who led them away from the Lord. The Lord sent prophet after prophet to them, but they mostly did not repent, but instead, continued in their idolatrous ways.
Nonetheless, Judah also had followed evil king Ahaz into apostasy. So the Lord allowed the Israeli army to defeat the Jews, killing 120,000 crack Jewish warriors, and carrying off 200,000 Jewish women and children with the plunder.
Yet, this did not stop Oded from standing up and saying what is right. And, surprise, surprise, the ungodly Israeli army actually listened to him and freed the 200,000 Jewish women and children instead of enslaving them!
A: I work for a company that isn't Christ-centred. Most of us are daily surrounded by people who do not take Biblical principles into account for their actions. People might not listen to us -- like they didn't listen to most of the prophets recorded in the Old Testament. But sometimes they will listen.
So we can still be salt and light in whatever environment we find ourselves in.
P: Father, give me the courage to speak up when appropriate and to be salt and light in every situation. Amen.
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