OT Fire Starters – Day 152: 1 Chronicles 9-10
READ: 1 Chronicles 9-10
THINK: Do you ever feel like you’ve failed in your faith or blown it spiritually? Does it seem like you’ve lost or forfeited part of God’s purpose for your life? While Satan wants to rob you of the joy of fulfilling God’s plans, God wants you to realize that you don’t have to settle for a life of ruin and regret. His purposes go far beyond your worthiness, and He still intends to accomplish what He created you to do. This isn’t a license to take unfaithfulness lightly. Yet, God remains faithful even through your failures. You can never regain lost opportunities, but with God it’s possible to overcome pains and penalties of the past. Though God grieves over sin, He delights in restoring peace and purpose as you humbly trust Him to teach you priceless lessons of discipline, faith and hope for the future.
RESPOND: Who is listed from chapter 9 onward, and what’s their situation at the time of these records? (See 9:1 note.) How does this account provide connection and continuity between generations of Israelites? Why had the people of Judah been taken into captivity in Babylon (9:1)? What does the fact they were eventually able to resettle their land reveal about God’s character and faithfulness? Why do you think the “priests, Levites and temple servants” were among the first to resettle the land? (See 9:1 note.) Why is it important to base our lives on worshiping God, and how can we do this on a daily basis? Why do you think people were assigned to guard, care and account for specific furnishing related to God’s house? Why is it important to have people in the church who oversee specific ministry responsibilities? How does the account of Israel’s history in 1 Chronicles change in chapter 10? (See 10:1 note.) Why did God remove Saul from being king of Israel? (See 10:13 note.) To whom did God give the kingship?
PRAY: Give God thanks for forgiving and restoring you from failure when you turn to Him with humility and faith. Ask God to help you show gratitude by making your life a continual act of worship that brings honor to Jesus.
ACT: Go through the day viewing your entire life as an act of worship to God. Make a deliberate effort to honor Him in all you do, working with excellence and using your abilities and opportunities to the fullest. Make sure that your actions and conversations are uplifting and honorable. Do your best to bring positive attention to Jesus.