A ZEAL FOR THE LORD

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

After he left there, he came upon Jehonadab, son of Recab, who was on his way to meet him.

Jehu greeted him and said, “Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?”

“I am,” Jehonadab answered.

“If so,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.”

So he did and Jehu helped him up into the chariot.

Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.”

Then he had him ride along in his chariot.

2 Kings 10:15-16

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

In the midst of carrying out the Lord’s orders to eliminate the house of Ahab, we find Jehu meeting a man while on his way to Samaria.

The man, “Jehonadab, son of Recab” was actually “on his way to meet” Jehu and as they came together, we find Jehu greet him and ask, “Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?”

In other words, Jehu was inquiring as to whether Jehonadab was in tune with the Lord as he was but we sense that he already knew the answer before he asked.

For Jehonadab had been leading a group of Israelites who stood by conservative God-based principles which, included among other things, a very strong opposition to Baal worship.

And so it was little surprise when Jehonadab acknowledged that he was in one accord with Jehu…standing with him as a devout man of God.

We read where Jehu takes his new ally by the hand and helps him up in his chariot. Being seen with Jehonadab would only help Jehu’s cause as he continued to carry out the Lord’s will.

Now, these two verses in scripture would probably not spawn a message if it weren’t for the final words spoken by Jehu as he welcomes Jehonadab into his chariot.

For Jehu says to him, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.”

“Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.”

Have you ever spoken these words to someone?

Anyone who truly has a zeal for the Lord would not hesitate to.

And what does it mean to have zeal anyways?

Well, Webster’s defines zeal as an “eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something… energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause”.

There are also three synonyms for zeal:

Fervor is one of them and is defined as an “intensity of feeling or expression… a warm and steady emotion”.

Passion is another…“an emotion that is deeply stirring or ungovernable”.

And finally, there is enthusiasm…“a lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity”.

Put them all together when talking about a person who has zeal for the Lord and we have one who energetically, eagerly and intensely pursues the Lord with a consistent, expressive emotion of admiration that is deeply stirring or ungovernable.

Does that define you? Shouldn’t it define all of us who claim and proclaim to be of the Lord?

Friends, we would be well served to constantly evaluate and grade ourselves on how well we are showing our zeal for the Lord.

For our actions and our words should reach out to everyone with an invitation…modeling the words of Jehu in saying:

“Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.”

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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