Savior & Samaritan
Jesus said love your enemies and you will see enemies who end up loving you as their neighbor as you walk the faithful road with the Savior.
“For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. The king of Israel had said to his officials, “Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?” So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are...Jehoshaphat also said...First seek the counsel of the Lord...Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?” The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one...but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad...Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master...the king of Israel...went up to Ramoth Gilead...I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle...But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor...So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him there.” 1 Kings 22:1-37
Are you someone who wants to hear the truth or just wants people to tell you what you want to hear? Are you looking for someone to rubber stamp your decisions or seeking God first and letting Him lead you? Ahab, the king of Israel, wanted to hear the truth, but was unwilling to turn from his ways because the truth is he wanted people to agree with him more than he wanted to do what is right. You can always find someone who is willing to go along with what you want to do, but remember that the unfaithful road leads to pain.
Looking back, consider why the king even ended up in a place of conflict. He abandoned God's ways, worshipped false idols, focused on what he did not have rather than be grateful to God, and did not repent when truth told him to turn. He ended up pierced by an arrow on a battlefield and dying. His heart was full of lust and he would not listen to God. God never stopped loving King Ahab. Love allows for free will and lets us choose the path we travel.
“Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”...I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.” Psalms 13:3-6
Light is such an amazing thing. It helps us see. We take for granted the faithfulness of God to bring light to the world. When was the last time you thanked God for the light of the day? David took time to seek the light and say thanks to the God who gives it.
There are times where we cannot see the way to go. David was calling out for the light in the middle of a time of darkness. This is often our reality. We live in a world with darkness. It is not light out 24/7. David sang of how trust helped him continue even when he could not see. David's heart said God has been good to me and gotten me to this point and I trust He has a plan for what is to come. Rather than focusing on the darkness, David sang of God's goodness.
We all have a choice of where we focus and how we think. Where is your focus? Can you see how God has already been moving in your life and is always faithful? Do you sing the songs of your salvation letting God lead you or do you allow the enemy of your life to whisper words of doubt in the darkness?
"Keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. They will keep you from the adulterous...from the wayward seductive words. With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life...listen to me; pay attention to what I say. Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Her house is a highway to the grave"Proverbs 7:1-27
Have you ever stopped to think about how temptation impacts your heart? We live in a world that encourages us to lust. We lust for new cars, new houses, new jobs, more money, more pleasure, more approval from others. More, more, always more is the motto of the world. What is the impact on your heart when you allow the seductive words of temptation in? Solomon warned us that we are vulnerable to seduction and seduction leads to our own slaughter. Where are you most vulnerable and tempted? How do you deal with it?
An amazing connection emerges between the Kings passage and Solomon's wisdom. Nearly 300 days into our study we see the impact of an arrow piercing a person. The king died because an arrow pierced him in a battle he should have never been in. Truth tried to warn him, but he would not listen. Wisdom tells us that temptation and seduction have the same potential for pain and death. Seduction leads to sin and sin is a highway to the grave.
What is the best way to avoid the dangers of sinful desires? Solomon said the way to avoid the piercing arrow is to be so full of God's words and wisdom by storing and binding them in your heart that there is no room for the enemy to attack you. Ask yourself how much time you spend storing up wisdom and spending time with God? Is it enough? Has it helped you prepare for how people, possessions, pride, and pleasure will tempt you?
“The nations will see your vindication you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. No longer will they call you Deserted... you will be called Hephzibah...for the Lord will take delight in you...As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you...Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones...Raise a banner for the nations...See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’ ” They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted." Isaiah 62:2-12
Like a good neighbor, God does not pass by us when we are in need. He steps in and lifts us up. He gives us a new name and calls us his bride. The Bible is a love story. It is an invitation to a life of faithful devotion to the God who is always faithful. Think of how David sang of God's unfailing love. It was the love of God that transformed his life, and it's the love of God that transforms ours. Not because we are perfect, but because His perfect love redeems and restores.
Truth always points us back to Jesus. It points us back to our Savior. We are the redeemed of the Lord who enter the gates of heaven. As we do, raise a banner so that others can see the light that shines in the darkness. We are called to remove stones and anything that blocks people from seeing that salvation is found in only One name. Jesus.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you... whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me...I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority...to overcome all the power of the enemy...rejoice that your names are written in heaven...No one knows who the Son is except the Father...an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher...what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him...leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going...when he saw him...he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite...passed by...But a Samaritan...came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds...he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him...he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor...The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:1-37
Jesus is asked a simple question from a man who knew the truth but like King Ahab did not want to follow it fully. He wanted his own way of loving God and to choose which people he had to love. Does this not apply to every one of us? Are we not all tempted to turn following Jesus to finding ways to justify what we want? Where have you walked on by rather than stopping to see how you could help? Are you open to being interrupted if someone else is injured? Will you allow the truth that you are called to be a worker for Jesus to turn your day upside down?
The road of faith is not simply about avoiding sin. It is about listening to Jesus and loving like Him. Hearing the truth and turning from worldly ways. Ahab ignored the truth. David trusted God’s faithfulness. Wisdom warned us about how easily seduced we are and invites us to store up the truth. Isaiah said we are redeemed and called by a new name. Jesus said the workers are few. He said the faithful neighbor is not the rule follower but the one who has mercy. He said you cannot love God without loving the people He puts in your path.
The Samaritan did not worry about how helping the hurt person would benefit him or if they belonged to the same tribe. He simply loved and did the good he could do. Faithfulness is not reserved for the people who are easy to love. It is for everyone. As we avoid the seductive whisper of pride, prejudice, fear, and selfishness by staying faithful to Jesus, we make room for the Spirit to produce fruit that points to God.
Today, thank God for the light of the new day and the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. Listen to Him and let His truth shape your heart, let His Word guard your steps, and let His love overflow into every relationship.