Listening to God

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

The reading for today titled, Listening to God, was written by James Banks. Back when I was driving to college and back home again, the road to our house in the desert seemed painfully dull. Because it was long and straight, I found myself driving faster than I should have, more than once. First, I was given a warning from the highway patrol. Then, I received a ticket.

Then, I was sighted a second time in the very same place. Refusing to listen can have unfortunate consequences. One tragic example of this is from the life of Josiah, a good and faithful king. When Nico, the king of Egypt, marched through Judas territory to help Assyria in battle against Babylon in 2 Chronicles 35, Josiah went out to counter him. Nico sent messengers telling Josiah, God has told me to hurry, so stop opposing God, who is with me. God really did send Nico, but Josiah would not listen to what Nico had said at God's command, but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo. Josiah was fatally injured in the battle, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. Josiah, who loved God, discovered that insisting on his own way without taking the time to listen to God or his wisdom through others never ends well.

May God give us the humility we need to always check ourselves and take his wisdom to heart. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 2 Chronicles 35 verses 20-27. After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Nico, king of Egypt, went up to fight at Carchemesh on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. But Nico sent messengers to him, saying, What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war.

God has told me to hurry, so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you. Josiah, however, would not turn away from him but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Nico had said at God's command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo. Archers shot king Josiah, and he told his officers, Take me away, I am badly wounded. So they took him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the laments.

The other events of Josiah's reign and his acts of devotion in accordance with what is written in the law of the Lord, all the events, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. Let's pray. Ever wise and loving God, would you help us to be humble and to listen for your wisdom today, right now? And thank you that when we ask for wisdom, you are faithful to give it to us. And when you have given it, may we be faithful to follow in it. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Wes Ward, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Brad Ministries.