DCLM Daily Manna 18 December 2021

TOPIC: Half-Hearted Change

TEXT2 Kings 3:1-10

KEY VERSE:
“And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.” – (2 Kings 3:2,3)

DCLM Daily Manna 18 December 2021 

A man on getting home from the supermarket where he had gone to purchase some household items was surprised when he opened the carton containing the goods to discover neatly packed currency notes of the highest denomination. Obviously, the shop attendants had handed him a wrong carton. The next day he headed for the shop to return the money.

Meanwhile, confusion and pandemonium had erupted in the supermarket at the close of the day. Nobody could figure out how the proceeds for the whole day could have vanished. The euphoria that greeted his arrival the next day to return the money was indescribable. The management, overwhelmed by his rare honesty, decided to honour him and even called the media to capture the ceremony. He was asked to invite his wife waiting in his car to join the ceremony. Everyone was surprised when the man declined stating that the woman in the car was not his wife and that gesture will get him into trouble and evoke spiral consequences. He confessed that though he was righteous in the area of money, he was not in the area of morality.

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Jehoram, the son of Ahab and Jezebel, was evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his parents. He attempted to clean up the practice of idolatry set up by his parents by pulling down the image of Baal but he did not stop the worship of calves, which Jeroboam started. This change is a depiction of half-hearted devotion as Israel continued in idol worship and abandoned the true God.

Some people claim that it is not possible to be righteous in every sphere of human activity. Obviously, such people do not recognise the grace of God and the impact of His power to live above sin. Complete heart transformation happens only when one surrenders to Jesus Christ in true repentance.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Complete transformation is possible only in Christ.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Haggai 1-2