Recovery Devotional 302 Godly Intolerance

JMD Devotional 302 2 Chronicles 19:1-7 Godly Intolerance

JEHOSHAPHAT THE king of Judah returned safely to his house in Jerusalem. Jehu son of Hanani, the seer, went out to meet him and said to Jehoshaphat, Should you help the ungodly and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord. But there are good things found in you, for you have destroyed the Asherim out of the land and have set your heart to seek God [with all your soul's desire].

Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. He appointed judges throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges, Be careful what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord, and He is with you in the matter of judgment. So now let the reverence and fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking of bribes.

Jehoshaphat was rebuked for being a friend and ally to the notoriously evil King Ahab of Israel. Within that same rebuke, what he was doing right was also acknowledged. His personal devotion to God was good, but compromised due to his trying to be a friend to the world. You cannot hold to your integrity and be the friend and companion of reprobates. We are called to a godly intolerance, to separate ourselves from evil, to be distinguished for our values, and to use our influence to promote the standards of God’s Kingdom on the Earth. Jehoshaphat responded to that rebuke by going out again among the people to reinforce godly principles. The inner convictions and the outer actions should be in harmony for a mature believer.

Dear God,

My tendency is to be a people-pleaser; but pleasing ungodly people sends out mixed signals and confuses my witness. I have also seen over-zealous Christians go overboard, and alienate potential converts by being critical, rude and pushy. Please help me to conduct myself with wisdom, and to think rightly about the conduct and posture I should maintain in a plural society. Help me to know when it is appropriate to assert my influence within the world. Choose my battles, and make it clear when I should go against the grain. Give me a winsome attitude, consistent virtue, and the courage to stand against evil. May I faithfully present the reality of Jesus Christ in all dimensions of my life. May people not have to guess what manner of man I am or who I belong to.

Amen

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Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

*New International Version (NIV)

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**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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