Devotional - June 28, 2004

In church, prayer is often the first thing discussed and the last thing done. Jehoahaz's experience however, proves that prayer may be late but it is better late than never.

His seventeen year reign was a carbon copy of his father's and those before him. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord by continuing their sins. He caused the people to sin and he failed to repent even when God's conviction burned within him. Then something happened. Scripture says one day Jehoahaz turned to the Lord and asked for help in defeating the enemy.

What caused Jehoahaz to pray? Note, the enemy he faced was also God's enemy because they had brought much distress on Israel. At some point, it must have dawned on Jehoahaz that the enemy was being helped by God. Why would God do such a thing? Quite simply, in the words of the late R.G. Lee, it was "Payday Someday" coming home to roost. It's amazing that the Lord listened to him, but it is even more amazing that after experiencing victory over Aram, Jehoahaz returned to his evil ways. (2Ki 13:6)

In most churches, prayer has become the action taken when faced with a crisis. Isn't a church prayer meeting the same way? Even though September 11, 2001 was a weekday, by noon most every church in America had to be opened to handle the crowds who needed a place to go pray. In addition, very few seats were unfilled in churches the following Sunday. But the attendance dwindled over the next few weeks. It was like a huge rubber band popping pray-ers back into their pre-tragedy position of dormancy.

It common to hear a challenge from the pulpit to pray more. But I wonder if that's what we really want. After all, noting our tendency to need a good reason, God's may answer and see the need to raise up another Aram to stir the sleeping desire within us.

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to change our desire out of love for Jesus rather than acting out of fear for what might happen to us?

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( 2 Ki. 13:1-14:29 Ac.18:22-19:12 Ps. 146:1-10 Pr. 18:2-3 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society