Day 235: Scare Away Boogey Monsters

John 12:27-50; 2 Chronicles 16-17; Psalm 78:1-20

Jesus refers to himself as the light several times in this passage. Why that image? Why light? In the light you can see more; you can see where you are going, where your feet are stepping, what lies in your path. In the light, there is not fear of the unknown because all can be seen. Things are clearer. Just the idea of being able to see things clearly is a powerful promise to me. I'm the kind of person that wants to know where I'm going, what my surroundings are. Believing in Jesus opens our eyes to see him, life, people, circumstances with the greatest clarity possible. The alternative? Stumbling around in the dark, not being able to see what is in front of us, what dangers surround us; having to guess at who is with us and what they are like, not knowing any such clarity or freedom in life. In the darkness there are boogey monsters! Ok, maybe that's left over from my childhood, but in the dark, things can lurk unseen and the Devil prowls and thrives in the darkness.

What is interesting about this chapter is that it also includes a note about the people. Jesus had worked a lot of miracles, "but they were still not willing to have faith in him." Why not? One guess is that they were in it for the short term benefits, being healed of various physical impairments. They would have to believe stuff that was contrary to everything they had ever learned. To step from the deepest darkness into blinding light is painful and takes some adjustment. Some people aren't willing to risk the pain it would take. Following Jesus requires we experience the pain of sacrificing our own desires for God's. But again, what's the trade off? Light, clarity, focus, perception.

I was so proud of Asa in my last post! And then he goes and depends on the Syrian army to protect him from a threat rather than trusting in God. The prophet, Hannai, reminds him that God watches everyone and gives strength to those who obey him. Because Asa disobeyed, didn't trust, God was withdrawing his peace for the kingdom. Unfortunately Asa doesn't accept this rebuking well and throws Hannai in jail and takes his anger out on his people. He wasn't willing to accept the consequences for his actions and acted like a spoiled child. This continues when he gets a foot disease and "he relied on doctors and refused to ask the Lord for help." He was done depending on the Lord, despite all the amazing blessings God had poured out for him. A great example of what NOT to do.

Asa must have done something right, however, because his son Jehosaphat obeys God, destroys the shrines for worshiping idols, and demands that the Lord's Law be taught in every city. Yay! Even his enemies knew that God was with and wouldn't attack because they "were afraid of the Lord's power." Jehosaphat became rich at powerful, but at this point in his life, he still doesn't desert The Lord, abandon God's law, or take things selfishly. He breaks the cycle that his father had fallen into and does right in God's eyes. Way to go, Jehosaphat!

In this psalm, it talks about how important it is to teach God's word to the younger generations, to our children. That is one of the things that I am SO looking forward to. I want to read my child scripture and fill up their heart and mind from a very young age with the truths of God's word. I want to demonstrate a real relationship with The Lord, show them what it means to pursue Jesus through reading the Bible, and pray with them consistently. The problems for the Israelites began when they doubted God and forget him. I don't want to ever forget my Lord and don't want my children to either.