Why on earth did King Amaziah decide to bring back Edomite idols and actually worship them is beyond me, but I do see how people can start sliding away from God and never quite gain enough traction to stop the fall. Sometimes, it just seems too painful to put your leg out and grab some solid ground because we know that jarring stop is going to hurt like the freaking dickens. If you are someone falling away from God like King Amaziah and are afraid to stick your leg out for fear of the pain it’s going to cause, let me encourage you to look a little deeper into King Amaziah’s example. Your fall, just like his, will lead to more destruction and pain for those around you than you can possibly imagine. I know you’re thinking, “But I’m not a king.” Nope, but you’re a prince or a princess in Jesus’ eyes. You might also be thinking, “Nobody actually cares what happens to me,” but you are wrong. For one, God cares what happens to you. He sent His son to die for you. Don’t waste that. And two, let’s flip your sitch, shall we, and see what could happen in terms of King Amaziah, who died an awful death and spent years and years and years being hated by thousands. If this is the life you want, read no further. Just kidding. Please, keep reading! And be encouraged that sticking your leg out to stop you from sliding down whatever slippery slope you’re on is not as painful as enduring years and years and years of hate and anger directed toward you.
Now let’s play the what if game. Imagine if King Amaziah would have never brought those nasty idols home. Well, he did, so let’s not start there. Let’s make it a little tougher. Imagine that King Amaziah did exactly what he did, and God got as mad as he got, but instead of continuing his slide down the slippery slope, Amaziah stuck his foot out – even broke his darned ankle doing it – and ate some humble pie by apologizing, getting rid of those idols and getting back to the business of taking care of Judah properly. Yeah, it would have hurt … like H.E. double hockey sticks hurt, and it would have been HARD work that required a LOT of help, especially because the king’s ankle (substitute pride here) would have been completely shattered, … but just think of how much happier the people around him would have been. Think of how much safer Judah would have been. Think of how much more God would have blessed them and protected them and loved them as His own. And how much quicker King Amaziah’s ankle would have healed compared to the lifetime of misery he unwittingly chose.
Writing prompt: stick your foot out
Are you sliding down a slippery slope right now? Write about how your slide affects those around you, and write about the great things you could do (after you heal from your broken ankle) by finding solid ground in Jesus.
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