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Wednesday, July 26, 2017

We decide what to do with it.

Ahab (the king of the northern tribes of Israel) had everything he could possibly want.  He was the king of over a million people.  He was married with children.  The LORD had just made him victorious in battle…twice.  But Ahab simply wouldn’t let that be good enough.

Now there was a man named Naboth, from Jezreel, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. One day Ahab said to Naboth, "Since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I will pay you for it." But Naboth replied, "The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance that was passed down by my ancestors." (1 Kings 21:1-3 NLT)

Ahab wanted the land next to his palace.  He started focusing on that land.  He obsessed over that land.  He whined and complained to his wife because he couldn’t get that land.

"What's the matter?" his wife Jezebel asked him. "What's made you so upset that you're not eating?" "I asked Naboth to sell me his vineyard or trade it, but he refused!" Ahab told her. "Are you the king of Israel or not?" Jezebel demanded. "Get up and eat something, and don't worry about it. I'll get you Naboth's vineyard!" (1 Kings 21:5-7 NLT)

Jezebel hatched a plan.  She hired people to put Naboth to death.  Then her husband could have the land.

They called for a fast and put Naboth at a prominent place before the people. Then the two scoundrels came and sat down across from him. And they accused Naboth before all the people, saying, "He cursed God and the king." So he was dragged outside the town and stoned to death. The town leaders then sent word to Jezebel, "Naboth has been stoned to death." (1 Kings 21:12-14 NLT)

Sometimes in life we lose sight of the many, many blessings that the LORD gives us.  We have air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, and shelter from the storms by the grace of God.  Most of us have much more than that.  Yet, like Ahab, we start to obsess over the next thing that we do not have or can not have.  Sometimes it drives us to do things that are in complete rebellion against God.

When Jezebel heard the news, she said to Ahab, "You know the vineyard Naboth wouldn't sell you? Well, you can have it now! He's dead!" So Ahab immediately went down to the vineyard of Naboth to claim it. (1 Kings 21:15-16 NLT)

How about you?  Do you receive the blessings that God offers you as gifts from God?  If you receive them, what do you decide to do with them?  Do you ask God to lead you? Or, do you focus on the things you do not or can not have?  What do you decide to do with God’s blessings?

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