Ezekiel 30:25 “‘Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt.’” 

WHO WILL GOD USE IN YOUR LIFE?

It has always amazed me why the Lord chose to use Babylon to judge not only Israel and Judah, but also the surrounding nations.  The Babylonians were ruthless.  Not only would they defeat an enemy, but then they would take the people and disperse them to other defeated lands.

And the Lord is very clear that it is He who is using Babylon to judge.  He is clear that they are His tool for judging.  So, will the Lord do that today?  Will He allow unbelievers to “judge” us?  Will He allow us to suffer under the hand of a pagan?  Bottom line – God will use whatever it takes to bring us back to Him.

TEACHING MOMENT

I have tried to teach the children I have had the privilege to know that God places people in our lives as authority figures for a reason.  I truly believe if God puts someone in authority over us then we need to trust there is something He is trying to teach us.  Submission to authority is important.  Unless your authority tells you to do something illegal or immoral, you are to obey.  Period.

But what if they are constantly ridiculing your faith or talking evil about God?  Then we need to be that witness they need.  We need to stand firm, as Ephesians says.  We need to NOT be surprised that a lost person will speak that way.  How we model this to our children will teach them volumes for the rest of their lives.  Instead of coming home every day complaining about your lost boss, ask your children to pray with you for their salvation.  Ask them how you should respond to them.

Maybe right now you are battling one of those bosses.  Maybe right now you are up under someone who is a tyrant in the workplace.  Have you asked yourself why they are the way they are?  Don’t you think they need prayer?  Are YOU the instrument of salvation God has placed in their life?  Or are they the instrument of correction and judgment in yours?

Father, I want to pray a dangerous prayer.  Thank You for sending “judges” in my life.  Thank You for giving me a reminder of who I was outside of Christ.  But Lord, give me the courage to stop complaining about my “judge” and start claiming them for Christ.