Original Entry:
January 6, 2009
McMinnville, OR
5 He appointed judges in the land, in each of
the fortified cities of Judah. 6 He told
them, "Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for man
but for the LORD, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. 7 Now let the fear of the LORD be upon you.
Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality
or bribery." 2 Chronicles 19:5-7
Men love routine. To a
fault we settle into doing life without considering why.
Why do men do what
they do? Why do you do what you do? What gets you up and running in the
morning? Why do you believe in God? Why do you work where you work (be
honest)? Why do you play? Why do you pay that mortgage?
How much of what you
do is “for the Lord” and how much is
for you.
In 2 Chronicles 19:5-7 we see Jehoshaphat
mention twice that his newly appointed judges are to judge “for the Lord.” These
statements sandwich one “fear of the
Lord” (7) statement.
Why?
When a man begins to “fear the Lord” he will begin to live “for the Lord.” To fear God is the meat that makes the
sandwich. Did you catch that? A man will not hunger for the Lord until his
deepest desire is to fear the Lord.
When a man fears the
Lord he puts God at the center of his universe.
When he understands that God is aware of his every thought, ambition,
and action and live that way his life will turn.
He lives each day for
an audience of one, “Whatever you
do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since
you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the
Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24).
He will live beyond
rote behaviors so that God will be the answer to his, “Why?”
