102 men died

I love this lesson of humility found in the first chapter of 2 Kings.  The King fell though a lattice and injured himself.  He gathered up some men and told them to go to the god of another nation.  They took off and were stopped by Elijah.  Elijah (the prophet of God) asked them why the king would consult a god of another nation when he already has God.  Then he tells the men to tell the king that he will die.

Now it gets more interesting.  The king sends a captain with 50 men to have Elijah come to him.  The captain calls out, "Man of God come down here."  Elijah shouts back that if he is a man of God may God sent fire down and consume the men.  It happens.  (Maybe the captain should have said please or at least asked nicely.)  So another captain and another 50 men come and the same thing happens.  Finally a third captain comes with his 50 men and begs on his knees for Elijah to not kill them and come with him.  Elijah doesn't kill them.

Do you command God?  Do you set up ultimatums with God?  It may not be blatant, but I think most of us try to get God to do our wills.

God moves according to God's time.  God works according to his good and perfect will.  My will and your will are not good or perfect.  (Maybe somewhat good, but definitely not perfect.)

How many times have I been burned because I tried to bully God into doing my will?  How much heartache, pain, and worry have I endured because I demanded my will from God?  For me, it's a lot.

Let's humbly seek after God's will.  Why?  Because it is both good and perfect.

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