July 25: Of Advice We Need, But Don’t Want to Hear

2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34

Romans 22:10-13

Psalm 20:1-9

Proverbs 20:2-3

"…Jehoshaphat asked, 'is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?"  The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad…""

     It is difficult to believe that, until 1940, France was the recognized military master of Europe, having been among the allies that won World War I.  Germany, which had been so thoroughly defeated, blitzkrieg'd its way through the supposedly impenetrable Maginot Line like hot knife through butter, and conquered France in 6 weeks.  

     What's interesting is that in March 1940, less than 60 days before the invasion, members of the French parliament inspected the defenses in Sedan and found them lacking.  They warned the Commander of the Second French Army, General Charles Huntziger, who dismissed their concerns entirely.  It seems it wasn't what he wanted to hear.

     Huntziger may as well have been descended spiritually from Ahab King of Israel.  Ahab didn't want to listen to Micaiah, who only seemed to have bad news.  So neither French general nor the Israelite king listened to what they didn't want to hear.  France lasted 6 weeks; Ahab was shot at random, and he lasted the day.  We read that "at sunset, he died."

     Sometimes what the Lord wants to tell us, what the Lord asks us, isn't what we want to hear or do.  At those times, it is important we have people who know the Lord intimately, like Micaiah did, whom we can trust.  I've been blessed with parents who have spent so much of their lives getting intimate with God; I admit I could be a lot better at listening to them when they tell me what the Lord says I need to hear.

     Father, bless us with people You speak through; then bless us with hearts that recognize Your voice through them, that listen, and obey.