Prayer Journal
Tuesday, July 8, 2003
"Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God." 2 Chronicles 27:6
He began serving God as King of Judah when he was twenty-five years of age. When I think of Jotham, I see a person influenced positively by some of the things his father did, but not blindly repeating his errors.
You won't find many kings remembered for only good things. Most of the time they did something that brought God's righteous anger down on their head. But we know only good things about Jotham. He did what was right in God's eyes like his father and refused to offend God the way his father sometimes did.
Someone reading this might be saying, "If only I'd had a godly father, I would have been just like Jotham and things would have been different in my life." Every one of us knows the difference between good and evil, don't we? Judging by the example we're leaving our children, I wonder. I'm afraid Gump might have been right when he said, "Stupid is as stupid does!"
Jotham however, while a good king was obviously a bad father for his son Ahaz who would prove to be one of the worst kings on record. He certainly didn't follow the example set by his dad, Jotham. Then there was Hezekiah, Ahaz's son. He was a good king much like his grandfather, but little like his dad. You guessed it. Hezekiah's son, Manasseh was a horrible king while his son Amon was just as bad. Then came Josiah who was good, much like his great-great-great-great grandfather, Jotham instead of his dad or grandfather.
So let's see. A good king/bad father had a son who was a bad king/good father who had a son who was a good king... Oh well, you can see where this is going. What can we learn from all this?
As a father, I should see the importance of doing the right thing without neglecting my family in the performance of it. As a child, I should see the importance of watching my dad, while keeping my eyes on God's Word. This is such a simple lesson; I wonder why we have so much trouble learning it?
Just Thinkin'... WebServant
Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society
Copyright © 1998-2003
James R. Green and Prayertower Ministries
All Rights Reserved
I'll pray today for...
* My spouse
* My children
* Their friends
* My friends
* My employer
* My city
* My country
* Civic leaders
* Schools
* Teachers
* The sick
* The lost
* Those in despair
* The hospitalized
* The grieving
* Widows
* Orphans
* My church
* My pastor
* Church leaders
* Other churches
* Persecuted church
* Missionaries
* Myself
