2 Kings 15:1-2 “1 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah became king. 2 He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.” 

EVEN A LEPER CAN RULE

 King Azariah (Uzziah) was the longest ruling king of Judah or Israel.  He was a good king.  He followed the Lord, or at least tried to.  He began his reign at 16!  Wow! And he reigned 52 years.  But the verses go on to say the Lord struck him with leprosy.  We don’t know exactly when that happened, but it must have been later in his reign because his son ruled in his placed and eventually took over when he was 25.

Why am I recounting all of this?  Just to show you that God can use anyone who is willing to be used.  He took a teenage boy who became leprous and made him the longest ruling king of the nation. God can use anyone, anytime, anywhere, any how He chooses.  We just have to be willing.

TEACHING MOMENT

Many parents tell their kids, “You can be anything you want to be when you grow up.”  I understand the sentiment and respect their desires for their children, but that is just not true.  A short child will most likely not succeed in the NBA.  LOL.

Instead, we should be telling them, “Johnny, we need to pray that the Lord shows you what He has for you to do to honor Him.” That’s the most important thing. So, whether he is a banker, soldier or astronaut, he can honor God.  Push them to excel, not for self, but for God.  Give them opportunities to thrive, not for you, but for the glory of the Lord.

Do you know what the Lord has called you to do? So many of us are still seeking that. Ask Him.  He doesn’t want to hide this from you.  He is preparing you every step of the way to be His instrument in His master plan for mankind.

Open my eyes, Lord, to what You have for me.  Let me see the opportunities plainly.  Help me point others to Your plan for their lives.

 2 Kings 14:9b “‘The thorn bush which was in Lebanon sent to the cedar which was in Lebanon, saying, “Give your daughter to my son in marriage.”’”

 BOASTING GETS YOU IN TROUBLE

 Amaziah, King of Judah, had just defeated Edom and was feeling very powerful and arrogant.  So, he challenged Jehoash, King of Israel.  Remember, Israel was 10 tribes and Judah was 1. Jehoash tried to avoid the battle, but Amaziah was insistent.  The result – defeat for Judah.

Arrogance and pride will make you a little too big for your britches.  Boasting and showing off never leads to good.  While here on earth Jesus still had the power of all the heavens at His fingertips, but He never called them down when challenged.  Instead, He humbled Himself to the point of death.

TEACHING MOMENT

Children will naturally want to brag on stuff.  They may even brag about you (and you must admit you like that).  But we have to teach them humility and the right kind of pride.  Unfortunately, humility has to be learned firsthand.  You can’t give them a lesson on it.  They have to experience it themselves.

You can model humility for them, and you should, but for them to truly understand it, they have to experience it. I am convinced, however, that once they experience true humility in the name of Jesus, they will know the joy that comes with it.

Are you bowing in humility today? Or are you proud and boastful of who you are?  We are nothing outside of Christ.  Our only boast-worthy thing is Him.  We stand before Him humble and abased.  But IN Him we boast!

Lord Jesus, You are the perfect example of humility for me to follow.  I see Your strength in Your humble life and Your willingness to lay it all down for others. Help me live like You today.

 2 Kings 9:20b “‘and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.’”

A REFLECTION OF THE PERSON

 Road rage has obviously been around a lot longer than the term as been used. Jehu was known as one who “drives furiously.”  What did that mean exactly?  I mean, he wasn’t driving a sports car or a Mack truck.  He was driving a chariot.

Whatever he was driving, undoubtedly, he was known as a crazy driver.  The Lord chose him, though, to be the instrument of justice over Joram and Jezebel.  Jehu executed them both according to God’s command.  He did it quickly and without hesitation.  He didn’t try to rationalize it.  He just acted.

TEACHING MOMENT

Now today’s lesson isn’t a driving lesson.  I am not trying to tell you how to drive or how to teach your children to drive.  Today’s lesson is, once again, about obedience.  The Lord used a crazy driver.  So, He can use you and your children.

I never get over the fact that God can use anyone. He can make the most unsuspecting person a tool in His plan.  You don’t know what God has planned for your children.  Your job is to have them ready to be used.  Your job is to teach them to hear and then respond to the Lord’s commands.

Jehu hurriedly drove to execute God’s judgment.  Are you in a rush to follow the Lord?  Most of the time we have to be drugged to the place of obedience.  It is so much easier to just do it.  Allow the Lord to use you when and how He chooses.

You are my Commander, O Lord.  Help me be ready at all times to respond to Your call. Help me show my children how to hear and obey.

2 Kings 4:3 “Then he said, ‘Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few.’” 

IF YOU PRAY FOR IT, EXPECT IT

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 2 Kings 1:2 “And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became ill. So he sent messengers and said to them, ‘Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this sickness.’”

BETTER SEEK THE RIGHT ADVISOR

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 1 Kings 20:36 “Then he said to him, ‘Because you have not listened to the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, a lion will kill you.’ And as soon as he had departed from him a lion found him and killed him.” 

LION FOOD

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 1 Kings 17:6 “The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook.”

OR FED BY A BIRD

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1 Kings 14:12 “‘Now you, arise, go to your house. When your feet enter the city the child will die.’” 

BUT GOD…

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 1 Kings 10:1 “Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.”

I WONDER WHAT SHE ASKED HIM

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 1 Kings 9:4-5 “‘4 As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, 5 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I promised to your father David, saying, “You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.”’”

 CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES

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