CAC LIVING WATER DEVOTIONAL FOR MAY 18, 2022 : TOPIC – WHEN GOD WRECKS YOUR SHIP…(1)

35 KJV:And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:

36 KJV:And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongaber.

37 KJV:Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

Memorise: KJV:Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

(2 CHRONICLES 20v37)

Jehospaphat was a king who loved and served Yahweh wholeheartedly, i.e. personally, passionately and practically! His reformation of Judah was outstanding. He was commended for his love and work for the Lord (2 chronicles 17v3). However, sometimes, he was equally loyal to God’s enemies whom he had aligned with, even at the risk of his own life.

One will think that the godly people should be exclusively found among God’s people, but that was not the case with Jehospaphat. He befriended Ahab, the king describe as unequalled in wickedness, with a wife whose name is synonymous with idolatry, adultery, witchcraft, murder, self-willed, and many other wicked things-Jezebel (1 kings 16v30;18v13,21v14,25,Rev.2v20). Weather it was Ahab or his son, Ahaziah, who asked Jehospaphat for military aides or business alliances, what you will hear from his is, *I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses* (1 Kgs. 22v4, 2 kgs 3v7). He regarded it impolite to say NO to an offer of alliance from the ungodly (cf.2 Cor.6v14ff)! He found it convenient to offend his God than to hurt the feelings of his crooked and wicked friends! He had alliance with Ahab until Ahab died.

A yoruba adage translates, “He who chooses his wife from diablerie (the realm of devils)will certainly have various demons as in-laws” Jehospaphat chose Athaliah, the daughter of Jezebel as a wife for his son! He also agreed to build ships for merchandise from Ezion Geber, but we are told, they never sailed! Why? Not because Satan obstructed their way, neither were the ships poorly built, but because God destroyed Jehospaphat works!

Dear reader, whenever God wreck your ships, pause, and think! You cannot have Johan on board and expect your ship to sail smoothly and safely.

1. Pray for the sensitivity to know when God is speaking to you through unpalatable situations.

2. Pray for the will-power to say NO to ungodly alliance and offers.

3. Pray for the Church in the land to see the precarious situation in our society today through the eyes of God, so that we can do the right thing and appease His wrath over humanity.

Extra Reading for Today: 2 chronicles 29-31

HAVE A LOVELY MID-WEEK AS YOU STAY SAFE ….. SHALOM!