Daily Devotional

September 13th 2024

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FRIDAY

[Jehoshaphat] charged the judges: “This is serious work; do it carefully. You are not merely judging between men and women; these are God’s judgments that you are passing on. Live in the fear of God—be most careful, for God hates dishonesty, partiality, and bribery.”—II Chronicles 19:6, 7 (MSG)

Most of us know little about Jehoshaphat’s story, but there is practical counsel we can glean from it.
Jehoshaphat reigned for 25 years—from 873-848 BC—as King of Judah. He never engaged in idol worship. Jehoshaphat established a government in Judah based on the type of government that God established when the Hebrews entered the Promised Land. He appointed judges in all of the fortified cities to hear cases brought before them and to settle disputes.
It reminds us that, in serving God’s people, we need not seek other models of how to accomplish it. We need only to employ the models that God has given to us.
Jehoshaphat instructed these judges to not simply consider subjectively what they thought would benefit someone or just give the people what they thought they wanted. Instead, they should remember that they represented God before the people. Our service to one another is a reflection of our devotion to God.
The word Jehoshaphat uses for, “the fear of the Lord,” is, “sebomai,” which describes looking upon God with awe because of God’s immense holiness and righteousness. When Jehoshaphat urges these Judges to live in the fear of the Lord, he is urging them to worship the Lord through their vocation.
In addition to the judges in the fortified cities, Jehoshaphat appointed Levites and priests in Jerusalem. He chose responsible heads of families, who should know how good families function to give judgment for the Lord. They were to be faithful to God’s law and serve wholeheartedly out of love.
In all of this, we learn that our worship should be an outgrowth of our vocation and daily living, not merely a Sunday activity. When we serve our vocation with honor and integrity, we worship the Lord with honor and holiness.

Prayer: Lord, we thank You that You have provided for us the model of service that You expect from us in our relations with each other on all levels—in our families, our communities and our interpersonal relationships. As we go, remind us that, to serve with compassion and consistency, we need only look to Your Word as our Guide. Be pleased by our service. In the name of our Christ, we pray. AMEN!

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