“The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son).” (2 Chronicles 5:1 ESV)
“The Chronicler recounts Reuben’s weakness and relationship to Judah, which illustrates why Judah came to lead Israel. Leadership and inheritance are not blessings one can simply take for granted, because they come with responsibility. God has given you responsibility in his kingdom, no matter what your standing in life. He has also equipped and blessed you with gifts, including the blessings of life and salvation through Christ, our Head.” (Lutheran Study Bible, Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 638)
You and I are equipped for service to the Lord. The two questions are... What are my gifts? And how does God intend for me to use them? Reuben’s sin prevented him from leadership, while Judah’s obedience led to serving by leading. By the way, the opposite is also true. We lead by serving!
Heavenly Father, thank You for equipping me to serve You. Help me to be responsible in using those gifts to Your glory and for the welfare of others. May I continue to find the motivation for such serving in Jesus, who came to serve and offer Himself as a sacrifice for my sins. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Bible Reading Plan upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment