My WAY!

I love to get my way. I always have. Once when I was in elementary school, I brought home a paper with a word misspelled on it. My mom tried to help me learn and pointed out my mistake.  However, I insisted that I spelled it right, that I copied it straight from the board and my teacher certainly spelled it right. So my mom tried again to teach me with a different tactic. She grabbed the dictionary to show me that I was mistaken. Oh, but my stubborn unteachable heart wouldn’t listen and even with the truth of my error in black and white in front of me, I stated, “Well, the dictionary MUST be wrong.”

Have you ever wanted something your way so badly that you have ignored all the signals that it wasn’t right? I really WANT to date this guy.  It isn’t that big of a deal that he doesn’t know Jesus.  I’ll take him to church and lead him to Christ. I really WANT to take this job because it means more money and prestige.  It isn’t that big of a deal if I won’t see my family much. They will appreciate my hard work and sacrifice.  I really WANT my children to like me. It isn’t that big of a deal if I don’t say no to them.  They will enjoy the freedom I am giving them.

Jeroboam did the same thing.  He was the first king of the divided Israel.  God told Jeroboam that he would rule over ten of the twelve tribes of Israel.  God told him that if he would walk in God’s ways like David that God would be with him and build a dynasty for him as enduring as the one God built for David.  1Kings 11:38  So when Jeroboam does become king of Israel and its ten tribes, Jeroboam remembers God’s plans right?  He obeys God and stays strong.  I mean God told him the kingdom would be his.  Jeroboam clearly didn’t obtain the kingdom himself.  It was clearly and act of God.  So Jeroboam relied on God to maintain that kingdom.  Right?  Unfortunately no.  (1Kings 12:25-31) Jeroboam like me, wanted to keep the kingdom his way.  So when he came to power instead of following God’s commands and heading to Jerusalem to worship God, he made idols.  Not just any idols, he made golden calves.  Remind you of something earlier in Israelite history?  When Moses went to the mountain top to talk to God and Israel grew impatient so Aaron formed golden calves for the people to worship.  Not only did Jeroboam make golden calves for the ten tribes of Israel to worship, but he told them these were the “gods” who brought them out of Egypt.  His words must have struck a chord some how in someone.  These are the exact words of Aaron (Ex 32:4) when he made the golden calf.  Don’t you think the people were ignoring the red flag of RUN from this idolatry that was clearly waving in their face?

So how many red flags have you had waving in your face?  How many blessings have you lost for your disobedience?  Just like Jeroboam lost the chance for a dynasty that would honor God, we often miss out on God’s blessings because we insist to do it our way.  If this is true of you today will you pray with me:

Father God, I am tired of doing it MY WAY.  I am grieved that I have offended You.  I have been wrong and I have blatantly ignored Your warning flags.  I have sought to secure Your blessings my way.  Forgive me Father.  Forgive me and help empower me with Your Spirit to say no to myself and yes to you.  Thank You that I do not have to live in the bonds of sin, but that I am free and victorious through Your Son Jesus.  In His powerful holy and awesome name I pray.  The name of Jesus.  Amen.

So my brothers and sisters, I challenge you to say with me no to self and yes to God.  So long MY WAY!  Hello GOD’S WAY!