No Shame In Calling Back Troops ♡♡♡
This week I read in the bible, a very interesting story about a king named Amaziah. He was 25 when he ascended the throne of his ancestors. The bible described him as a man who did what was pleasing to the Lord, but not wholeheartedly. On one of his missions, he had organized an army. Invested a lot of money in silver to hire 100,000 experienced fighting men from Israel. I mean, he thought he was all armed ready and all jacked up to conquer. Until, God sent a man of God his way to let him know he shouldn't hire troops from Israel. God was not with Israel. Oops he already did - "If you let them go with your troops into battle, you will be defeated by the enemy no matter how well you fight. God will overthrow you, for he has the power to help you or to trip you up" - Verse 8 WOW
Have you ever set off into a business, a relationship, some kind of ministry work or project, only to later have a hunch that it's not really where the Lord would have you go, do or be? I have a couple of times in my life. In some cases, battled the internal shame associated with making a 180 :). So I can only imagine how king Amaziah felt, when he realized he was headed the wrong direction and needed to make a U-turn, after all that hefty investment. Amaziah asked the man of God "But what about all that silver I paid to hire the army of Israel?" And the man of God replied, "The Lord is able to give you much more than this!". Because obeying God is so much more important than whatever we think will be at a loss doing it. Amaziah obeyed.
He discharged the troops and sent them back to Ephraim. Scripture says, the people were very angry with him and returned home in great rage. They were so mad, they raided several towns of Judah, killed people and carried off great quantities of plunder. People may not understand or see what God instructed, but our job is to obey nonetheless. Amaziah summoned courage and led his army to battle. He was victoriously helped by God. Sadly his story did not end well. Scripture says that when he returned from his victory, he brought with him idols taken from the very same people [the Edomites] the Lord had helped him defeat. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down in front of them and offered sacrifices to them!. Yikes, but before we judge Amaziah, that's a very good place to pause and reflect. What led a man who saw first hand victory, who was helped by God, who pleased God, to derail so cheaply? Well the bible gives it to us right at the very beginning. "He did what was pleasing to the Lord, but not wholeheartedly". Amaziah was so far gone with his idols, he became proud and arrogant. Falling prey to bad counsel. Challenging others ignorantly into battle. It all went downhill very fast. Infact when the prophet of the Lord came to point out his wrong, he asked him to shut up, or he would get him killed. "Why do you turn to gods who could not even save thier own people from you? 2 Chronicles 25:15 It was a legit question. This king who started off well in the beginning, became hard in heart. Scripture says that after Amaziah turned away from the Lord, there was a conspiracy against his life in Jerusalem" 2 Chronicles 25 Verse 27. His enemies eventually killed him. What a tragedy!
"Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ" - Galatians 1:10
I understand the struggle so well, of trying to be in everybody's good book. But this is not something that will always be the case. Or the pleasures from the pursuit of self. This is always an epic fail. Some of our decisions as we set our hearts to please God will confuse some, get some mad or even get you into some weird troubles. It is better still, to submit to the one who has the power to help or the power to trip up. Our wholehearted devotion to God not only pleases Him, but also saves us from a whole lot of heartache in the long run. We should never think it a mission impossible, to change our minds no matter how far gone we are on a matter, on an investment or on a decision. There is no shame, in calling back the troops. For some of us "what will people say?" is the idol that needs to crash down......
"The end of a matter is better than its beginning and patience is better than pride" - Ecclesiastes 7:8
Love,
SR
Wiser words are rarely spoken these days. Amaziah's story is certainly a sobering lesson for all of us. Great post, my love. Really on the mark for every Christian of today.
ReplyDeleteGreat story and lessons there.
ReplyDeleteWhen we are victorious , we easily forget how we got there and sorround ourselves with sychophants who oftentimes mislead us.
May God help us
My darling Seun, you are a blessed WOMAN!!! Thank you for this particular write-up. May I always have the humbleness of Spirit to listen to GOD, serve HIM wholeheartedly and do as HE instructs irrespective of people's expectation or otherwise! Thanks again, babes SR 🥰💕💕
ReplyDeleteThese stood out massively for me:
"("Because obeying God is so much more important than whatever we think will be at a loss doing it. "
"People may not understand or see what God instructed, but our job is to obey nonetheless."
"What led a man who saw first hand victory, who was helped by God, who pleased God, to derail so cheaply? Well the bible gives it to us right at the very beginning. "He did what was pleasing to the Lord, but not wholeheartedly"."
"We should never think it a mission impossible, to change our minds no matter how far gone we are on a matter, on an investment or on a decision. There is no shame, in calling back the troops. For some of us "what will people say?" is the idol that needs to crash down......")"