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Planting is a Good Thing
As if all the sins Ahab promoted while following in the footsteps of king Jeroboam (including making idols, appointing priests from the wrong tribes, and making up his own feast days) weren’t bad enough, he married pagan Jezebel and it all went further downhill. Ahab worshiped Baal and led the Israelites to do the same by erecting an altar and by creating idols (the Asherah) to stimulate worship of Baal. This is what made God angrier at him than any other previous king (many of whom did plenty to make God angry!).
I pondered over a few things with this passage. First, Ahab’s poor leadership was no surprise to God – God is sovereign. Daniel 2:21 states that it is God who removes and establishes kings. God had a purpose for allowing Ahab to be king for those 22 years. In the fascinating history of 1 Kings, God says that through all the turmoil, He will preserve 7,000 Israelites who have never bowed their knee to Baal. This was a winnowing time for the Israelites.
Second, we are to be sound in our faith. Ephesians 4:14 tells us that as mature Christians, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, or by the trickery of men. We are to grow up in all aspects into Christ-likeness. If someone attempts to lead us astray, we should know better and stand firm.
Third, we had better not lead anyone else astray. Better someone drown at sea than to cause someone to stumble (Matt 18:6). We are to point people to Christ, not away from Him.
Planting is a good thing – we love to sow the seeds of God’s word into people, and have it sown into us. But we don’t want to put ourselves or others in the position of having to dig up weeds that should never have been planted in the first place.
The last thing in the world I want to do is provoke God. I’m way too chicken to try to provoke God to anger…I don’t like pain and suffering, and those are the things I believe I would face without God’s hand protecting me. I know God loves me and takes care of me, and all I want to do is make him proud as my heavenly father.
I do worry about my ability sometimes to lead people to wanting to know Jesus. Am I walking Christ-like enough for it to be infectious? Is the life I am living Christ-like enough for someone to say, “Wow, I want to live like that guy!”?
How does the garden grow? Seed, good soil, light and water … oh yes, someone to cultivate it. Wonder how many passages in the Bible relate to one of these aspects? I think each of us through the Holy Spirit has a gift for the garden. Could simply ignoring our responsibility cause others to be lead astray? Lord, please show me how to sow and cultivate the gardens in my life.
Thanks Stacy.
Greg, have you ever heard the question if you were arrested for the crime of being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you? I too want someone to say I want to live like that girl. Stacy you are right our leadership in the US is no surprise to God. It is improtant for me to be praying for my Predident and the leaders in our country everyday . I tend to pray when I don’t like what they are doing instead of all the time.