After the death of Rehoboam, his son “Abijam (also called Abijah) began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Absalom. He committed the same sins as his father before him, and he was not faithful to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been” (I Kings 15:1-3), NLT).
Next comes one of the wonderful “buts” of the Bible: “But for David’s sake, the Lord his God allowed his descendants to continue ruling, shining like a lamp, and He gave Abijam a son to rule after him in Jerusalem. For David had done what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and had obeyed the Lord’s commands throughout his life, except in the affair concerning Uriah the Hittite” (I Kings 15:4-5).
“Shining like a lamp.” Abijah’s behavior may not have shone, but David’s faithfulness was remembered by God and David’s faithfulness continued “shining like a lamp,” pointing his wayward son to the True Light.
If you’re praying for a wayward spouse, child, friend or other family member, keep it up. Shine the light and love of Jesus into that life at every opportunity. And remember, even if you’re taken from this world before that person ever changes, the light you've shone while you were here will keep shining, drawing him or her to the Savior.
I believe David’s faithfulness, continuing to shine “like a lamp,” touched the heart of Abijah’s son Asa. He “began to rule over Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. Asa did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestor David had done” (I Kings 15:9-10a, 11).
That should be every believer’s life goal – to be “pleasing in the Lord’s sight.” If you were asked right this minute to write down your top five goals, would this be among them?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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