One of the benefits to reading large chunks of the Bible at once is that you get a big picture of what is happening & understand cause and effect more clearly. I just finished reading through 1 & 2 Kings this morning and was struck by how quickly things fell apart for Israel due to their sin. What was once a powerful nation that worshiped God had become a scattered group of exiled slaves with no identity of their own. The once beautiful temple and palace had been stripped of anything of value. It was now a ghost town with only faint echoes of the power and promise that once lived there. It is a sad and cautionary tale of the results of choosing to ignore God after being blessed for so long.
How can this happen to us even today? I know of far too many churches that once had God's hand of favor on them, but have now dwindled in size and glocal (global & local) impact. My mind turns to families that once lived strong, passionate lives for Christ, but are now splintered and broken after unrepentant sin has ruined them.
How do we make sure this doesn't happen to our own families or to the church? By continually asking God to examine our hearts and reveal sin to us so that we can repent, confess, and receive forgiveness. It takes a concerted effort (individual & group) to study God's Word and seek His direction in constant prayer. When we humble ourselves before a great & mighty God as a people, we will find that we are following His will and honoring the covenant we have made with Him.
