July 7

July 7

Amaziah (Southern King 29 years) -- Losing money & the right attitude toward wealth.

Today's Readings:

Reading 1: 2 Kings 14:1-4

Reading 2: 2 Chronicles 25

Reading 3: Deuteronomy 8:18

Amaziah became king after his ungodly father was assassinated, but the saying "like father, like son" proved true in this case. After a godly start, Amaziah turned away from God just as his father had. And so God's judgment falls on him too.

There is a great presumption in Amaziah's challenge to the king of Israel, and presumption is rewarded with defeat. The hiring and firing of Israelite troops as mercenaries also contributed to this.

Presumption and perseverance are enemies of each other, and Amaziah finds himself on the wrong side of history in later life. His mistake was to ignore the instruction of Deuteronomy 8:18: "Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you the power to be successful in fulfilling the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath."

May that be true for us today - that we remember Jesus and the covenant He inaugurated with HIs death and resurrection. Our God is a covenant God - so we can rejoice!

Have a great day!

Mark.