2 Chronicles 18:1, 21:6,11

Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.

Bible Reading

Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab. He walked in the way of the lings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did (for Ahab’s daughter was his wife), and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. He caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot and lead Judah astray.

– 2 Chronicles 18:1, 21:6,11

Devotion

Our potential is always reduced by our compromises. The first compromise we see is that Jehoshaphat formed a marriage alliance with the evil King Ahab from the north; the same Ahab who, along with his wife Jezebel, was seeking to turn the entire Northern Kingdom into a Baal worshiping country. They were also killing all the prophets and people of Yahweh. Yet, Jehoshaphat formed a marriage alliance with these wicked people by inviting Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, to marry his son, Jehoram. Why would Jehoshaphat compromise God’s Word so egregiously?

The Big Question

Jehoram’s heart was turned completely away from Yahweh. His 8 year reign was a reign of terror. How did Jehoshaphat’s compromise effect his family? The nation? If he could have played the tape forward and seen the long term consequences, would he have allowed his son to marry Athaliah? What about you? Do you find yourself compromising God’s Word? Are you able to be “salt” and “light” in a world that constantly calls you to compromise the truth of God’s Word?

Spend some time in prayer meditating on what God revealed to you today.