Daily Reading
Daily Thought
Judah had been allies with Israel and things needed to change. Ahab, king of Israel, the husband of wicked Jezebel. “reigned over Israel twenty-two years, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him” (1Kings 16:29-30). Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, desired a better epitaph.
Jehoshaphat’s reformation of Judah began with the court of law. He appointed judges in the land, in all the cities, with one instruction, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment (2Chronicles 19:6).
I remember watching a movie with my college buddies. They laughed and I laughed. I watched the same movie several years later with my mom. She frowned and I squirmed. Funny how the same movie is different depending on whose eyes you see it through.
“He is with you in giving judgment.” To gaze through the eyes of God is to see sin with more horror, beauty with more wonder, righteousness with more desire. God would be with them, judging alongside them. “Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord” (2Chronicles 20:31-32).
Daily Prayer
Heavenly Father, righteous and good and holy, may I fill my eyes, my thoughts, my heart with heavenly things. May Your glory be reflected in all I do. Give me discernment to know what is right and what pleases You. When I ask You to give me the desires of my heart, God, I do not mean give me whatever I want. Rather, cause Your desires to become my deepest longing, so that whatever I want will reflect Your character.
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, may I fill my thoughts with these, with goodness, with truth, with grace, with faith, with hope, and most of all, with love.
Amen
