The Ones in the Background: Year One Day 208 Devotional

Passage: 1 Kings 7
Psalm and Proverbs: Psalm 7

1 Kings 7:13-14

13 Now King Solomon sent word and had Hiram brought from Tyre. 14 He was a widow’s son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, an artisan in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom, skill, and knowledge for doing any work in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and performed all his work.

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The temple would be known as Soloman’s Temple; however, it would not have been complete without the work of a half-Jew named Hiram (not to be confused with King Hiram). Great men and their accomplishments often require the effort of the quiet person in the background simply doing their task. Those who occupy those places should know that God sees them and honors their faithfulness.

Father, teach us to pursue faithfulness more than great names and large platforms. Help Your servants to focus on mission, ministry, and making disciples.

Psalm 7:9 (NASB)

Please let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous;
For the righteous God puts hearts and minds to the test.

Our Representational Mission: Year One Day 207 Devotional

Passage: 2 Kings 5-6
Psalm and Proverbs: Psalm 6

2 Kings 5:7

When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he greatly rejoiced; and he said, “Blessed be the Lord today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.”

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Israel had an attractional mission. Through their devotion to God and living obediently, they were to attract other people and nations to God. Hiram saw Soloman’s devotion and God’s blessing of Israel. As a result, he blessed the Lord.

Christians are called to go and proclaim the gospel. To do so, we must engage the world as representations of Christ. Our proclamation fails when we fail to represent Christ as He is. We must be holy as He is, loving as He is, and compassionate as He is. When our representation of Christ matches our proclamation of Him, we attract others to hear the message that can change their lives.

Father, empower Your people not only to go and tell the gospel but to live as Christ lived so that our message may have credibility.

Psalm 6:4 (NASB)

Return, Lord, rescue my soul;
Save me because of Your mercy.

Sinner vs. Sinner: Year One Day 206 Devotional

Passage: 2 Kings 3-4
Psalm and Proverbs: Psalm 20

2 Kings 3:1-3

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned for twelve years. 2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and his mother; for he removed the memorial stone of Baal which his father had made. 3 Nevertheless, he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into which he misled Israel; he did not abandon them.

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Jehoram was as bad a sinner as Ahab. Yet, is a man who looks at pornography more faithful to his wife than a man having a physical affair? Is a man who verbally abuses his wife kinder than a man who strikes her? Jehoram walked in the sins of Jeroboam instead of the sins of Ahab. The result was he was still an idolater who was far from God and leading his people toward God’s judgment. We may say one sinner is not as bad as another. Nevertheless, they are still sinners.

Father, help me never to measure my sin by that of another person. Help only to look at my life in the light of Christ’s righteousness.

Psalm 20:5 (NASB)

We will sing for joy over your victory,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners.
May the Lord fulfill all your desires.

The Authority of God’s Word: Year One Day 205 Devotional

Passage: 2 Kings 1-2
Psalm and Proverbs: Psalm 19

2 Kings 1:5-6

5 When the messengers returned to Ahaziah, he said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6 They said to him, “A man came up to meet us and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you and say to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.’”

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2 Kings 1-2 highlight the authority of God’s word. The messengers disobeyed the king’s command because the prophet’s word had more authority. A troop of fifty soldiers saved their lives because of the captain’s prayer and humble submission to the prophet’s authority. We must hear God’s word with humble hearts that are ready to obey His will.

Father, instill in me a constant readiness to obey Your word.

Psalm 19:12-14 (NASB)

Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
Also keep Your servant back from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be innocent,
And I will be blameless of great wrongdoing.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.