Thurs., 12/20/12 Devotion (2 Chron. 24:18)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Chronicles 24:18, where we read these words:

"Therefore they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass."

It is sad when professing Christians leave Christ, His church, His gos-pel, His word, His Sabbath, His worship, and all His means of grace--to go worship rocks, sticks, and pieces of dirt. But such is the ten-dency of the fallen human heart.

Was there any hope for these (mentioned above), who had so devalu-ed their souls with idolatry? There *was* hope: but it called for faith and repentance. May we who are the beneficiaries of so much grace in Christ not show ingratitude by leaving God, but rather humbly cling to Him (in Jesus).

[Puritan quote of the day: "Christ makes us wise to ponder and weigh things, and to rank and order them accordingly . . . " --Richard Sibbes, in, "The Bruised Reed"]