Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

5 April 2024

Reading From Judges 19-21

Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord. And the Israelites inquired of the Lord. (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there, with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, ministering before it.) They asked, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites, or not?”

The Lord responded, “Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands.”

—Judges 20:26-28

From all that has been revealed to us about Yahweh through His Word the Bible, we know that He desires close, balanced, healthy relationship directly with His people. Even in the beginning, it was part of Adam and Eve’s lives to walk with God in the cool of the day. It is no wonder that fellowship is one of the five primary purposes of the Church, which is His own Body.

Every healthy relationship has free, open and honest communication between those involved. With God it is no different. Human beings have finite minds which are limited by time, space, and the extent of our own knowledge. God is not limited by anything and so we can see that there is tremendous wisdom in inquiring of the Lord. His knowledge and understanding are infinite. What does inquiring of the Lord look like? Ask. Ask Him any question we might have. I can go to Him and His arms and ears are always open.

Prayer is a direct link by faith to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. As we open the pages of Scripture, look for inspiration in nature and listen to His voice speaking through other humans, we can have His guidance for our lives. Scripture and our own biographies are filled with blunders that could have been prevented by seeking the Lord’s wisdom before action.

One such warning comes from II Chronicles 10:13-14 which describes the fall of Saul and the rise of David, “So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. ¹⁴ But he did not inquire of the Lord; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

How very special it is that the God of the Universe cares enough about us to give us direction in our tiny lives. Even the greatest people who have ever lived are miniscule in comparison to the Creator of all things. “What is man that Thou art mindful of him?” as Psalm 8:4. He shows us tremendous love by genuinely caring about us. Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 10, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” How great the Father’s love for us.

“God, thank You for listening to me. Thank You for caring about me and my problems. Nothing is too small or too great for You. I pray that You would bless me with knowledge and wisdom as I go about my day, lead my family, work at my job, and minister at our church and to those I encounter as I go along. What a wondrous miracle that I can think a thought, sing a song, or speak words and that You hear the desires of my heart and the meditations of my mind and the words of my mouth. I love You Lord. Amen.”

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” –Luke 11:9-13