With God as long as He is with you

Rehoboam gets a little bit of a bad rap. Son of Solomon, he's the one who listened to counselors his own age instead of the more mature ones and said he would put a heavy load on Israel. This caused a split where the northern tribes served another king.

For the most part after that, though, Rehoboam was a good guy. When Jeroboam began his own home-made religion the priests of God came to Jerusalem. When Rehoboam wanted to go to war against the rest of Israel God told him "no" and he listened. The people strengthened Rehoboam as for three years he walked in the way of David and Solomon. And Rehoboam built up cities in Judah to defend his kingdom from invaders.

Sounds all well and good. So then here's this verse in 2 Chronicles 12:1 "When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him."

Oh bummer. What is it about us that really trusts in God only because we need something from Him? Once we get our health back or get that job or new car or get out of that financial jam we forget about Him?

And what happens if God disciplines us and allows bad things to happen in order to mature us or more perfectly communicate the gospel through our lives? Do we stick closely to God then? Or do we simply get mad at him?

Are we a fair-weather friend to the Lord at times? Let us determine in our own hearts to trust in God for the good and the bad (not that he ever wants to harm us). Let's remember what Job said "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21

Pastor Tom