‘Thus King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned. Now Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king; and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there. His mother’s name was Naamah, an Ammonitess. And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD’. 2 Chron 12 vs 13-14
“Be prepared” was the motto of the scouting movement and it is a phrase that has served many people well over the years as they have learnt the value of thinking ahead and planning for the unexpected. When we think of preparing ourselves we are often concerned with the practical issues of life. The physical things that we will need before we go on a trip away. The arrangements and logistics that will need to be put into place to ensure that everything will run smoothly. One of things that we sometimes neglect is the inner work. How prepared are we for the trials and challenges of life? How much time have we taken to ensure that whatever we face we know that we will be equipped to come out the other side fitter and stronger.
King Rehoboam was King Solomon’s son. He inherited incredible wealth and yet we find that within 5 years of his rule he is attacked by Egypt and he ends up losing most of his financial resources. ‘When Shishak, king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem, he carried off the treasures of the temple of the Lord and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields Solomon had made’. 2 Chronicles 12:9 Now according to experts the shields alone are estimated to have a worth today of around 50 million pounds! So why is it that things went so badly wrong for Rehoboam? What lessons can we learn from his life? What mistakes did he make that we can avoid today? Well it tells us at the start of the chapter that, “After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the Lord.” Rehoboam failed to see that the position he had inherited was not as a result of his strength or ability but it was given to him by the Lord. Therefore when Rehoboam trusted in his own efforts and became proud he saw the results of turning away from God. It’s easy for us to look with hindsight and think how foolish he was to make such a choice. But I believe there are times when we can all trust in our strength and when things are going well we can be tempted to attribute our success to our efforts and hard work.
I believe the key to all of this is found in verse 14, ‘And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD’. Rehoboam had not decided early on in his life who he would turn to for wisdom, strength, direction and fulfilment. He allowed his heart to be easily swayed by the outward circumstances of his life. When he became strong and secure in his reign as King he forsook the ways of the Lord. When he realised the error of his ways he did repent and humble himself. His life was one of ups and downs and his trust was in the Lord more when he felt that he needed him. It was not a posture of dependence and connection, it was rather a cry for help when he was in a tight spot. Unlike his grandfather David, he did not have a relationship with the Lord where his heart was surrendered to following God’s will. He did not prepare himself by taking time to seek the Lord and allow the Lord to shape his heart and do a deep work within him. Therefore when pressure came he could not stand strong and he made poor decisions.
The Lord wants us to learn today to prepare ourselves. To set our minds on his ways. To be steadfast about where we will place our trust. Do not look at your success and become less dependent on the Lord but rather look at your success and thank the Lord for his incredible blessings and favour in your life!.
Please remember to share this daily devotion with your friends, and if anyone wants to receive ‘Grace for Today’ directly then please just sign up via our website at www.exchangechurchbelfast.com
Unshakeable Hope Series – Exchange Church Belfast 2021