Day 96, or April the 6th.
Don't push too hard.
Our thoughts today are from 1 Kings chapter 21, verses 6 and 7.
I, Ahab, said to Naboth the Jezreelite, Sell me your vineyard.
But he said, I will not give you my vineyard.
Jezebel his wife said, Is this how you act as king over Israel?
Get up and eat, cheer up.
I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
Now the big picture surrounding these verses.
After the death of Rehoboam there was another bad king followed by two good kings in the
south.
Meanwhile in the north there were six bad kings, and then Ahab.
The situation was volatile and Ahab and Jezebel made the most of it.
In those days royalty and many other rulers were above the law of man, but they were not
beyond the law of God.
Elijah was a thorn in their side, but they were sure they would defeat him in the end.
They didn't.
Ahab was killed in battle whilst Jezebel survived a while longer before dying a grisly death
as prophesied by Elijah's successor, Elisha.
To this day the name Jezebel is far from complimentary, and usually describes a woman of bad reputation
and low morals.
She certainly made an impact.
All bad.
Now our action step for today.
It appears no matter what's at stake some people just have to win.
This is true now in the twenty-first century, and was just as true in the days of Naboth,
three thousand years ago.
In the end Ahab wanted to get the plot of land more than he wanted the plot of land
itself.
It was the getting of it that mattered.
It was getting his own way that was paramount.
He couldn't bear to lose.
With the support of his wife Jezebel a plan was hatched, which was to cost the vineyard
owner his life, but which finally resulted in Ahab getting what he craved.
There is no record of Ahab being satisfied with his acquisition.
Be wary of losing focus so that winning is more important than making progress.
Sometimes we have to acknowledge that God is saying no.
And when that happens just accept it and be content that God knows best.
Because he does.