Day 178: Contrary

1 Corinthians 1:18-31; 1 Kings 14; Joel 2:1-11

What God does and values is so opposite to what our culture does and values. Why in the world would God send his son to Earth? Why would he die for humans? Why are the first last, and the last first? Why should I love my enemies or turn the other cheek? What Paul is saying in these passages is that God knew (and knows) what people expect, and so in order to give himself the glory, God does the unexpected. He uses the weak and the foolish to change the world. God doesn't do what we expect: he is capable of using the most insignificant thing and making it significant. That is another reason to praise him! He knows how to make something of nothing so that all the glory can only go to him.

Rehoboam fails at leading Jerusalem down the right path. They start worshipping idols, get attacked, and all of Solomon's gold is stolen. Rehoboam's decision following this shows who he is: he has the gold shields replaced with bronze ones and tells the guards to keep them safe. He replaces what is so valuable with something cheaper, and expects humans to be enough to protect it. He trades the glory and goodness of The Lord for worthless idols and thinks that someone besides God can do the work of God. This demonstrates to me that only God can do what God does: protect, serve, forgive, create.

Joel is focused on the coming judgment. Imagine being judged by The Lord God. Joel says it will be terrible and I imagine that it will be. For believers and followers of Christ, we have been covered by the blood of Jesus and so while our sins are laid bare before God, we are also saved and made righteous by Christ.