Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh met him on the way, wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone out in the country, and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. Then he said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes. But for the sake of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe. I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees and laws as David, Solomon’s father did.
But I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand; I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees. I will take the kingdom from his son’s hands and give you ten tribes. I will give one tribe to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my name.
Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.
– 1 Kings 11: 29-36; 42-43
Devotion
The prophet Ahijah predicted the division of the kingdom of Israel. After Solomon’s death, ten of Israel’s twelve tribes (the northern tribes) would follow Jeroboam. The other two tribes (the southern tribes) would remain loyal to Rehoboam. In 1 Kings 2:1-4, David charged his son Solomon to walk in obedience to the Lord. Solomon did not give his son Rehoboam the same charge. Solomon’s spiritual complacency was passed on to the nation of Israel and to his son Rehoboam, who succeeded Solomon as king. Solomon had done what felt good to him and not what was best for the people. Rehoboam followed in the footsteps of his father and, eventually, the whole kingdom was lost.
The Big Question
Good leaders put the interests of others above their own. What consequences have you experienced resulting from your own or others’ selfish decisions? How do your selfish decisions affect those around you? Ask God to reveal any areas where you may be putting your own desires above the welfare of others.
Conclude your time in prayer and silence reflecting on what you have learned.