Follow His Plan

 DEVOTION

1^ST KINGS

FOLLOW HIS PLAN

1 Kings 20:31-43

31 His officials said to him, "Look, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life." 32 Wearing sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, "Your servant Ben-Hadad says: 'Please let me live.'" The king answered, "Is he still alive? He is my brother." 33 The men took this as a good sign and were quick to pick up his word. "Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!" they said. "Go and get him," the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab had him come up into his chariot. 34 "I will return the cities my father took from your father," Ben-Hadad offered. "You may set up your own market areas in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria." [Ahab said,] "On the basis of a treaty I will set you free." So he made a treaty with him, and let him go. 35 By the word of the LORD one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, "Strike me with your weapon," but the man refused. 36 So the prophet said, "Because you have not obeyed the LORD, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you." And after the man went away, a lion found him and killed him.

After such heavy casualties were inflicted on the Aramean army, it was time for them to surrender. This wearing of sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, like a noose around their necks, was a sign of humility. They came pleading for their lives, and the life of Ben-Hadad, the man of arrogance. Yet, their humble state turned to boldness, as King Ahad asked if Ben-Hadad was still alive. They now call him the king's brother. Ben-Hadad is no longer the arrogant man demanding everything from Ahab, out of fear for his life, he offered what he had taken back. However, our story is about Ahad accepting a treaty rather than obeying the Lord. This prophet did something strange: he wanted a man to strike him. This was for a purpose we will see in the rest of this story later. However, the man’s refusal to strike the prophet is another example of not obeying the word of the LORD, and it did not end well for that man. This is the lesson we should keep close to our hearts. Always obey the word of the Lord. This is different from trying to be a “Good Christian” doing all the religious things, appearing as righteous as possible, nearly sin-free. This obeying the word of the Lord has to do with following his directions as to where we go, or stay, and what we are supposed to be doing under his authority. King Ahab was supposed to kill Ben-Hadad, but he allowed him to live and made a treaty with him. That was not going to end well for Ahab,We need to understand, as the Lord speaks to our hearts, what we should be doing; we need to follow the path He has laid out before us. Why King Ahab chose to do whatever he thought was right is unclear. Do we have some choices of our own that God is pleased with? Are believers just living their own lives in this world, doing what they deem the best course of action for their lives, but simply adding Jesus to their routine and some religious activity? That sounds really judgmental, but it is only a question about how we determine what being obedient to the word of the Lord means. Are we living where he has directed us, or where we want to? Are we working, or have we worked according to His plan or ours? Do we attend the church He has directed us to, or the one we want? Do we do, or serve in accordance with His plan, His purpose, or according to what we think is a good thing to do? Many questions, and the answer comes from the Lord. Ahab had a prophet to tell him the word of the LORD; we have the Spirit within. Ahab did not abide by the word of the LORD, although he heard the message loud and clear. We may not hear a loud message, but we could, but maybe only a small still voice within, but the point is the Lord speaks to us, and we should follow His plan.