June 27, 2009- Making up the Rules

Scripture to read today:
2 Kings 13, 14; 2 Chronicles 25; 2 Timothy 3

Scripture that spoke to me:
2 Kings 13:18-19
Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”

Observation:
Elisha told Jehoash (King of Israel) to take the Lord’s arrows and strike the ground. Because the king chose to strike the ground three times, he would only win three times. He could have chosen to hit the ground once or 10 times, but he didn’t know what the rules were.

Application:
Do we know the rules, or make them up as we go along? The choices we make – even seemingly small decisions – have an effect on the future. And at times, the “rules” are only revealed after our choice.

Prayer:
Lord, let me be mindful of how the things I do today affect me tomorrow. Amen.