When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. (II Chronicles 12:1 ESV)
Fear Not… Then Prioritize
Rehoboam inherited the amazing Kingdom of Israel at Solomon’s death. After some poor decisions, and some civil war, Israel was divided into two smaller kingdoms, Israel and Judah. Rehoboam ruled the smaller of the two, Judah. In the eyes of many, Rehoboam was a successful king. He endured a civil war, attacks by foreign kings, and an economic struggle or two. In the end, he reigned seventeen years, and even the Bible acknowledges that he was a strong king.
But really, he was not. He had his priorities mixed up.
Jesus said it this way, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 ESV)
The bank sends overdraft notices; utility companies send shutoff alerts; employers send pink slips for absence; schools send warnings for excessive tardiness; stomachs growl and hurt if we miss too many meals; friends desert us if we neglect them… But the things of God have no such obvious warnings, penalties, or immediate effects.
And so we, like Rehoboam find it painless to put God lower and lower on our priority lists. The world might call us successful economically, socially, or emotionally.
But if God is not first, we ultimately are no different than Rehoboam.
Fear not, then prioritize