| II Kings 25:30 “And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.” By the time you reach the end of II Kings, Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians and the people, including King Jehoiakim, were taken into captivity. The last three verses of II Kings tell the story of the king of Babylon kindly looking down at Jehoiakim. Can you imagine how his outlook on life had changed? He went from prison to eating at the king’s table every day! No more prison garments! A position of prominence! And to top it off, an allowance!
The last story of II Kings illustrates the choice each of us makes every day: making an allowance or making a life. An allowance is an existence; making a life is doing what God has made you to do. King Jehoiakim was merely existing off of the provision of the slave master. Do you think the king of Babylon had better benefits to offer than God Almighty?
Just think of the word allowance. An allowance is something you are allowed. Allowances aren’t wrong, but they don’t replace making a life! Every day, you have the choice to live off the allowance the world will give you, or you can live by faith and do what God has made you to do.
An allowance can offer safety. Think of King Jehoiakim. He never had to worry about fighting battles or conquering enemies-he was the one conquered. The bars that kept enemies out also kept him in. An allowance can offer satisfaction. Don’t you think there was something satisfying about food every day, a new set of clothes, and having every need met? But that satisfaction comes at a great cost! He was safe and satisfied…because he was a slave!
So what is the alternative? Freedom! Freedom comes by living by faith. John Rice used to say, “I live a hand-to-mouth existence: God’s hand to my mouth.” Don’t grow weary of living by faith and trusting God for the direction, provision, and protection you need. You can either have what the world offers at the cost of enslavement; or you can have the freedom and blessing that only God can provide as you live by faith. The choice is yours.
Living by faith is not always easy, but it is always best. Don’t live your life like Jehoiakim with a daily allowance that requires enslavement. Don’t make an allowance; make a life by living by faith! |
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Camp Quotes… (in reference to Romans 8:28)…
“We may not always be able to understand, but we can know!” -Dr. Dick Mercado, Sr. |