Topic: Much Ado About Nothing [DCLM Daily Manna 19 May 2019 Daily Devotional]
Text: 1 Kings 20:31-43 (KJV)
Key Verse: “And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it” (1 Kings 20:40).
MESSAGE:
The consumer culture of the modern age has eroded all the traditional values in the society. Everyone is on the move. Everyone wants to be upward mobile. Everyone wants to “make it” now! Everyone is “busy, here and there”.
The businessman is busy, chasing contracts all over the country and the globe in order to acquire the lastest brand of car. The man on the street wants to keep three jobs at a time to compete with his neighbours in acquiring the latest stereo gadgets. The youth engage in a new styled night vigil; browsing the internet all-night to nail some covetous foreigners, who want to make cheap quick money. Next time you see the lucky ones, they are cruising the town in 4-wheel runners. It is a culture of the rat race.
The rat race has crept into the church. The church is busy, yet unproductive and unprofitable. King Ahab of Israel went to war with the Syrians. God gave them resounding victories on two separate occasions.
Unfortunately, Ahab refused to seize the high ground when the situation presented itself. Benhadad, the king of Syrian, was forced to retreat and take refuge, after the second conflict. Though he was sort of smoked out of his hideout, Ahab inexplicably let him off the hook. The man escaped to fight bigger and more bitter wars another day. One of the sons of the prophet came to Ahab after the folly with a satire. Ahab, very much like David, gave an impulsive judgment. Unfortunately for him, he pronounced a damnable judgment upon himself. He allowed a man appointed to death to escape.
Christians today cannot gloat over Ahab because we are as guilty. Most times, we raid the kingdom of Satan with the gospel and evangelism, and God has always been faithful. The problem with the church is not in winning converts, but keeping them in the church. Why? The consumer culture – the rat race of course. While we are “busy here and there”, the converts are gone. We need to repent today and go back to our first love of visitation and follow-up of our brethren.
Thought For The Day: He who claims to love Christ, willingly feeds His sheep.
The Bible In One Year: Ruth 1-2
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
