His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.
2 Chronicles 17:6 (NIV)
Father God, as I read this verse about Jehoshaphat’s love and commitment to You it was not lost on me what Your Word declared about Asa, his father: “Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life (1 Kings 15:14).” It struck me in a profound way. Seeing his father’s love and mistakes, he built on it and corrected the shortfalls. And it is not lost on me that this could not have happened had his father not poured into him. And honestly, I want to be like both of them.
I thank You this morning for the individuals You have placed in my life – family members, friends, loved ones – whose lives and commitment to You have been an inspiration to me as to what living for You and loving You looks like. Like Jehoshaphat, I look upon them and learn from their successes and failures. I see what they got wrong and what they got right. And, Father, I try to build on it, be better, growing from the lessons they learned in order to look more like my Savior. Make me a better student in this area of my life that I might continue to grow in my love, commitment, and knowledge of You.
At the same time, help me to be like Asa, seeing the error and mistakes that I have made and pouring my life into those whom I am in relationship with, giving them the benefit of my failures so that they can learn from them and not experience the same challenges I have had to endure. I so believe life is a grace exchange: each one of us building each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Father, I want to be that person, living my life not just for me, but more so for You and others. Enable me to leave my fingerprints in somebody’s life today so that in their quiet time with You they are compelled to thank You for folks like me who are making a difference in their lives even as I am thanking You for doing the same for me through them.
Thank You, Father God, for the power of a believing community of faith in my life. This would not be possible without Christ and what He has done for me, and the work of Your Spirit, and what He is doing within me. I am better because of it to Your glory. Thank You in Jesus’ Name. Amen.