A Familiar Choice

  It was a great nation.  One of the most powerful, wealthy, influential, and important kingdoms of it time.  But for the last several years, there were signs things were falling apart.  Marriage was under attack.  The case from government was marry whoever you want, there are no limits. That however wasn’t what God had said.  The heart of the leaders were moving away from God.

  So now a time of choice came for the people.  Two leaders had emerged. Who would rule the land? The people had a choice to make, even if it seemed like either choice would be a mistake.  

  On one side, a person that had been in public service for a long time right in the middle of going on in the kingdom.  While there seemed to be some promise early, there were now some great concerns. This person would show a willingness to compromise God’s clear commands in order to keep power.  They used division and schemes to try and win the people. To side with them seemed like you were going against what God had wanted for the nation.  

  On the other side, was a man that was claiming to follow in the past traditions.  He was brash, arrogant and spoke like a fool.  He responded to questions with attacks and vulgar insults.  He refused to listen to anyone but himself and the cronies he had surrounded himself with.  He rebuffed the political thinkers of his day and went his own way. To side with him was sure to throw the country into chaos.

 I’m sure by now you have realized I’m referring to the event of 1^st Kings 12?  You didn’t think I was talking about something else did you?

  The people of that day had a hard choice, one the seam like no matter who they sided with they would be in the wrong?

  How could this mess be God’s will?  Well, it was, In 1 Kings 12:15 we read: 

… for it was a turn of events from the LORD, that He might establish His word, which the LORD spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

  We may look at the situation and can’t see how it will all work out, but God can. Even when it looks like we have no choice, we can still choose God.  No matter who is in charge of the nation, God still controls the nations.  

  Lots of folks seem ready to battle their brothers when we find ourselves in similar dilemmas.  But consider what God said to his people in their similar time;

Thus says the LORD, "You must not go up and fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing has come from Me. So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way according to the word of the LORD.

1^st Kings 12:24 

  I don’t know what God has in store, but I know for sure that it is best for us in the long run.  Let’s listen to the Word of the Lord, act in accordance with the Word of the Lord and know that whatever happens is in his will.