A kingdom divided against itself
Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today it’s Joanna Moss:
What did I like about today’s passage?
What struck me from today’s passage, is the attitude of the two new kings as it seems that both are very driven by power and being the one in control. From the way either is portrayed from 12-14, it is clear that neither of them is particularly concerned with putting God first and following his decrees. In Rehoboam’s case, the son of Solomon, his arrogance leads him to take the advice of his peers over the advice of the palace elders concerning the grievances of his people. Instead of taking the opportunity to show compassion, encourage trust and rebuild community, as the elders advise, he decides to assert his dominance and power. And the nation of Israel divides.
Later on, Rehoboam assembles a large army in an attempt to win back the northern kingdoms by force. He is stopped by God’s command but continues to fortify cities and remains at war with Jeroboam for the rest of his reign. All along he is pursuing his own agenda and ignoring God. He desires power and control but forgets to acknowledge that God is the only one in control.
What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?
That God is not convinced by fake outside appearances.
Ahijah, a prophet of God, was not fooled by Jeroboam’s wife’s disguise and knew exactly who she was. And God was not fooled by the intentions of Jeroboam. Since his royal appointment by God, Jeroboam ruled by doing exactly what he wanted and only returning to God when he needed help or healing. His return to God wasn’t driven by repentance but selfish need, and God’s response to Jeroboam makes it clear what he thinks of this kind of heart attitude.
What am I going to do differently as a result?
I think it’s fair to say that for most of us, letting go of being in control can be tricky. Personally, I know that I have a tendency to be a perfectionist which I see manifest itself in my work, in anything I create and in tasks or responsibilities I am delegated. I find giving over control to others hard as this means I have less control over the outcome. But as the old adage goes, being aware of something and actually doing something about it are two very different things.
I don’t want to be afraid of letting go of control in my relationship with God. When I rationalise my feelings, I know it is foolish to worry about being in control because ultimately, I have very little control over anything in my life – something I think this lockdown has shown all of us. Instead, I know I need to embrace the truth that despite my attempts at control, God is the only one who was ever in control of it all anyway. And that by giving the outcome of everything I do over to God, I can freed from the worries and anxieties trying to be in control brings.
Who am I going to share this with?
My Mum – as someone I know to be very wise and good with advice, as well as someone who likes to be in control, I want to ask her opinion on how she deals with this and also how she lets God help build the community she has made through her volunteer work.