JEHOSHAPHAT’S SPIRITUAL PURSUIT
“And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.” II Chronicles 17:3, 4
A key component of Jehoshaphat’s able leadership as the king of Judah was his spiritual priorities. He was a seeker of God and “sought not unto Baalim; But sought to the LORD God of his father.” He did not follow the ways of the world, but rather obeyed the commandments of the Lord. Because he chose to follow the Lord and obey Him, the Lord established his kingdom in the land.
What a better world this would be if more of our leaders were committed to seeking and obeying the Lord. To seek the Lord means that we are following after the Lord to know Him. It also means we are people of prayer, wanting to know God’s will, and desiring, above all else, to be pleasing to Him. We all need God’s wisdom and counsel, and this is especially true for those who are responsible to lead others. We all should be seekers of God, seeking Him consistently and sincerely. As long as we put God first, seeking His direction and pleasure in all things, we can expect that He will bless our lives.
Sometimes people are more interested in what friends think, or what is popular, than what pleases God. Jehoshaphat looked to the Lord “and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.” We should not follow the religious trends of the day. We all have had times when we put personal desires or ambitions in front of the Lord in our daily lives, but this is not the way of blessing. God promises to bless the lives of those who seek Him first. The Lord is a jealous God and He wants, and deserves, to be first in our lives. He wants us to consult Him first, love Him first, and thank Him first.
Jehoshaphat was a leader with spiritual priorities and pursuits. What a blessing it is when we know that we are served by elected officials who are not ashamed to admit with honesty that they pray often for God’s leadership in their lives. What a sense of security for wives or children to know that the man of the house is truly a seeker of God. What a source of confidence for church members to know that their pastor is seeking and obeying God, not men. Let’s follow Jehoshaphat’s example by leading others as we follow the Lord.