Let’s learn a bit from the roller-coaster ride of life of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, in 2 Chronicles:
*Chapter 17: He walked in the ways his father David had followed….The Lord’s way.
*Chapter 18: Jehoshaphat consulted men, not God. He associated himself with Ahab, which a godly man (Micaiah) prophesies against Ahab. Ahab was not a good dude. Ahab was killed in war.
*Chapter 19: A seer told Jehoshaphat that he had associated himself with the wicked, and that’s not a good thing. “But…there is some good in you, Jehoshaphat, so set your heart on seeking God.” Jehoshaphat was like, “Whoa, Nellie!” or “Whoa, Jeho!” in his case, on his life and changed his ways. He started telling all the people to “consider carefully what you do”, “let the fear (respect) of the Lord be upon you”, “serve God faithfully and wholeheartedly”, “warn others no to sin against God”, “act with courage”.
*Chapter 20: Jehoshaphat consulted God, not man. God was merciful on Jehoshaphat and his people. There was peace in the land. Jehoshaphat and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem worshiped before the Lord and gave thanks to Him. But, later….Jehoshaphat made an alliance with the wicked king of Israel. Trouble came. Jehoshaphat died.
Sound familiar? up and down, up and down, life goes. But notice that when life for Jehoshaphat was at a high, he was following God’s ways. It was when he consulted and associated himself with man and evil that trouble came his way.
We are told in Romans 6:23 that “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Proverbs 10:16 says, “The wages of a good person is exuberant life; an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.”
So think about where your cart is now on the roller-coaster of life. Are you at the high point, or working your way up to it? Or have you zoomed down to the low point and need to climb back up the track?
Life is a ride. Just make sure that God is in control of it all.
Blessing to you!
