June 20th~The Plant or the People?

2 Kings 14:1-14


2 Chronicles 25:1-24


2 Kings 13:12, 13


2 Kings 14:15, 16, 23-27

2 Chronicles 25:25-28


2 Kings 14:17-22


2 Kings 15:1-5


2 Chronicles 26:1-21

Jonah 1:1-4:11

We covered a lot of ground that focused primarily on three figures — Kings Amaziah and Uzziah in Judah, then Jonah, the prophet of Israel. All three of them did things that were frustrating and painful to read. Here’s a summary of each of their stories.

First, King Amaziah ruled the nation of Judah for 29 years. “He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight,” at first, “but not wholeheartedly” (2 Chronicles 25:2). After God had blessed him with success, he turned his back on the Lord, worshiped idols, refused to listen to His prophet, and provoked Israel to war. As a result, God embarrassed Amaziah by allowing Israel to rout his army, destroy part of Jerusalem, pillage the palace and Temple, and carry off exiles.

Second, King Uzziah ruled for 52 years. He also did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, and “as long as the king sought the Lord, God gave him success” (2 Chronicles 26:5). “His fame spread far and wide, for the Lord helped him wonderfully until he became very powerful. But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord by entering the sanctuary of the Temple and personally burning incense on the altar” (26:15, 16). God struck Uzziah with leprosy and forced him to live in isolation.

Finally, we read the familiar story of Jonah, who was assigned to pronounce judgment on the city of Nineveh but who, instead, traveled as far as he could in the opposite direction in hopes of getting out of the assignment. He could not, of course, escape the Lord, who compelled him with storm and fish to fulfill his duty. When the people of Nineveh listened to Jonah and repented of their sins, God relented His wrath and spared the city. Then, the petulant prophet had the gall to complain about the Lord’s mercy.

The problem with these men was that they lost sight of the bigger picture and, instead, focused only on their own story. Whether it was their pride, their ambition, or their ignorance, they fell for the lie that life is all about them, their success, their desires, their plans and purposes, when, really, life was not about them at all. We exist for the Lord’s purposes; He does not exist to fulfill ours.

Daily Reflection

The best illustration to support this truth was when Jonah complained about the worm eating the plant that gave him shade from the sun. At that moment, he was so caught up in his own well being, his own comfort, that he had a pity party and wished for death. The Lord quickly admonished him, “You feel sorry about the plant (really yourself)... but Nineveh has 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?” (Jonah 4:10, 11).

Restate, in your own words, what God is saying to Jonah here.

Have you ever complained about “the plant” and missed the bigger picture? Sure we all have. Why is it so easy to fall into this trap, and how exactly do you avoid it?

Life is not about your plant but God’s purposes.

BiAY.org |Day 171 — 194 Days to Go