Saturday 20 Aug 2016

August 20: 2 Kings 17:7-12

Key Verse: 2 Kings 17:9
Also the children of Israel secretly did against the Lord their God things that were not right, and they built for themselves high places in all their cities, from watchtower to fortified city.

Devotion:
Keeping secrets from friends is one thing, but trying to do the same against God is just never going to work! We may be able to keep some secrets from friends and relatives – but when we do let something slip and they find out, we are the ones who have to face up to why we have been keeping the truth away from them. If we have been keeping a surprise party secret, then they would be willing to forgive us after finding out the surprise... but if we are keeping something away from them which they should know about, they may well take that harder than we first thought.

Trying to keep secrets from God is just a waste of time! God is watching us in everything we do, He is with us in everything we do. Trying to pretend to Him that we are doing the right thing does not work either – He can see right through us. He may well be putting up with it knowing that we are going to trip ourselves up before long and have to bow down before Him, or He may be patiently waiting for us to see the error of our own ways.

When the Children of Israel started to think they could hide their idols and other false gods away from God, they were in for a bit of a surprise. They tried hiding them under bushes and inside buildings – but God saw what they were doing. Not only did He see physically, but He saw what was happening to them in their hearts! God doesn't have to see what we get up to physically because what He is worried about is what is happening to us spiritually.

We are the ones who have to do the changing to allow God to be able to walk close by us. We are the ones who have to ask for His forgiveness for the things we are doing to Him day by day. We are the ones who have to realise that God has made us and continues to watch over us every second of every day. We are the ones who have to realise we cannot hide from God!

Points to Ponder:
How often to you hide the truth from friends?

How many secrets do you think you are hiding from God?

For those who got an automated devotion earlier - I've been away at a Christian Festival (Soul Survivor) and needed a bit of time alone with God - but catching up on devotions now. God Bless.