Willfully Following God...

We all have a choice in how we respond to God’s commands. We can either: ignore them, listen but do little or nothing, or we can do exactly what He says to do. When we choose to do right, all that are involved benefit because God is pleased. When Israel was warned by the prophet Oded, several men listened. They presented their case to the leaders. Fortunately, Israel responded in proper fashion to God’s command and both Israel and Judah survived. Why is it here in America when people present their case about God, people don’t listen. They ignore His commands and thus drive this nation further and further away from truthful living. America needs to respond in obedience. If we don’t, the dissension and destruction of or way of life will continue. We succeed by willfully making the decision to follow God one person at a time. It starts with me.

9 But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there in Samaria when the army of Israel returned home. He went out to meet them and said, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah and let you defeat them. But you have gone too far, killing them without mercy, and all heaven is disturbed. 10 And now you are planning to make slaves of these people from Judah and Jerusalem. What about your own sins against the Lord your God? 11 Listen to me and return these prisoners you have taken, for they are your own relatives. Watch out, because now the Lord’s fierce anger has been turned against you!”12 Then some of the leaders of Israel–Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai–agreed with this and confronted the men returning from battle. 13 “You must not bring the prisoners here!” they declared. “We cannot afford to add to our sins and guilt. Our guilt is already great, and the Lord’s fierce anger is already turned against Israel.”14 So the warriors released the prisoners and handed over the plunder in the sight of the leaders and all the people. 15 Then the four men just mentioned by name came forward and distributed clothes from the plunder to the prisoners who were naked. They provided clothing and sandals to wear, gave them enough food and drink, and dressed their wounds with olive oil. They put those who were weak on donkeys and took all the prisoners back to their own people in Jericho, the city of palms. Then they returned to Samaria. 2 Chronicles 28:9-15