Thy kingdom come on earth as in Heaven (By Rev. Deacon Margaret Friesen)

II Kings 8-12 
OBSERVATION

• The four chapters in our reading today were very hard for me to read, let alone trying to make sense of them. I kept on looking for evidence of God’s grace, God’s love, justice and doing the right thing. A prayer from Psalm 102 seemed to echo my thoughts: “hear my prayer, O Lord, let my cry come to you. Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress.” This may also have been the prayer of many of the citizens of Israel.
• I did not find any indication that people followed God’s calling except for Elisha advising the Shunamite widow to leave the country in order to survive; drought and famine would take over the land. Then it was all disobedience and hate and violence with Ahaziah and Jehu until we come to the rescue of Joash. Joash was a son of Ahaziah who would have been killed along with all the other children except for Ahaziah’s sister who hid him from sight.
• Enter the priest Jehoiadah (chapter 11). Jehoiada found some like-minded captains and summoned them to the house of the Lord to meet Joash, and to anoint him as the next king, only 7 years old. Joash, as king, followed the true God under the guidance of Jehoiada, as long as the priest remained alive. Unfortunately Joash turned aside to idols after Jehoiada died.

 
INTERPRETATION

• What do we learn from these chapters?  

I know that I am so, so thankful to be living on this side of the resurrection. We know that Jesus, the Messiah has come, and Jesus offers salvation that is so much more than “just another king”. My prayer is, dear God keep us from evil, and keep evil far away from us.

• I do find it a huge relief when I come across a story or chapter in which someone is listening to and following God. Example, the prophets Elijah and Elisha, the young slave girl who dared to speak the Lord’s word to her master, Naaman.

 
APPLICATION

• Surely our culture and societies in 2021 also exhibit much evil. Our country of Canada increasingly seems to accept laws and actions that are anti-life, anti-God’s commandments.
• Even within ourselves, we often find ourselves unable to whole-heartedly follow and love God. This is especially true when we separate from the friends and family who would encourage us to “keep the faith”.
• Thank God that God’s mercy is always available to us. God offers us love and compassion (Isa.54:8a). If we confess our sins, God is faithful and will forgive us and restore us to Himself.

 
QUESTION

• What do you do when it’s hard to maintain your faith in God? When you feel all alone as a Christian—within your family? within your workplace? within your classroom?

PRAYER
Lord God, have mercy on your struggling people. Grant us your assurance that you are truly God and we can trust you. You are love and we want to know that love deep in our hearts. Make us steadfast as we believe and to follow you.
 
Song: Yet not I but through Christ in me