Our scripture for the Daily Devotional today is taken from 2 Chronicles 36: 15-19. Mocked, despised, scoffed are words used to describe the actions of God’s chosen people against His leaders, His word, and His messengers. How is this possible?
“ The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. 17 He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians,[g] who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. 18 He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. 19 They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.“
Praying for our leaders
Sin comes, oftentimes, quietly into our midst. We get comfortable. We get the attitude, “Oh well, they are just like me.”
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We focus on their faults. We forget the importance of their role. We sometimes will become so accustomed to our place, that we find it justifiable to judge God’s leaders. We question His word with the attitude that it really does not pertain to today. “That’s the Old Testament,” we will say. Certainly, our culture has changed. Our way of thinking is much more advanced than the simplistic mindset of our Jewish roots.
Take heed my friend; God takes His word, His leaders and His messenger’s very seriously, and so should we. One lesson my earthly father taught me was never to speak harshly against a pastor. He was a pastor of 50 years and he knew the detrimental effects it could have on the church. If you are in a place where you cannot respect the pastor, then it’s time for a change. Speak to him. Let him know what you are struggling with and why you are struggling. If you cannot come to resolve, then do not stay and tear him and the church down with your words. Be on your way. God may want to bring you into a new season and this may be your test.
Let’s Pray
Dear Heavenly Father,
Let my words be for building, and not for destruction. Forgive me of every careless word I have ever uttered against your servants, no matter how small the role of servant hood happened to be. May I continually pray for the leaders you have placed in my life and see them with the value and importance that you have placed on the office they operate in. I understand the flow of the blessings as it comes from the head.
In Jesus Name,
Amen