Profession or Passion
Monday, September 25
Judges 17:6-13 (NKJV)
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah; he was a Levite, and was staying there. The man departed from the city of Bethlehem in Judah to stay wherever he could find a place. Then he came to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he journeyed. And Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” So he said to him, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am on my way to find a place to stay.” Micah said to him, “Dwell with me, and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your sustenance.” So the Levite went in. Then the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man became like one of his sons to him. So Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and lived in the house of Micah. Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since I have a Levite as priest!”
Devotion
“They did what was right in their own eyes” is a key verse in Judges and describes what is happening today. Images of gross sin come to mind, and it is easy to think about how evil our times have gotten. But what about the priests back then? What about the Christian church of today who are called to be a Royal Priesthood? How does this passage speak to us?
Here we see a priest depart from the place of his calling to settle into a comfortable existence of going through the motions of priestly duty. He allowed his priesthood to become a profession instead of a passion. He was driven by his needs and his comfort. Micah’s motives also were self-serving. He thought buying a priest would appease God so that God would bless him, but as the next chapter shows, he continues to worship idols! He served God in appearance only. Both did what was right in their own eyes.
Where is our passion?
Lord, I refuse to be a professional Christian content to go through the motions, content with appearance only, self-seeking, driven by the wrong motives. Help me serve You as the King of my heart!
Today’s Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I give You glory, honor, and praise for Who You are. Thank You for being my priest, the leader of all that concerns me. I never want to take my relationship with You and service to You for granted. May I always look to You in awe and wonder of who You are. I invite You to be the Lord of all that concerns me. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Apply It Today
Are you still in awe of God? Do you look to Him and His creation with wide-eyed wonder? If you have lost that first love, make it a point today to take notice of Who He truly is. Notice the wonders of nature, the beauty of children, and feel the awe of His love. Enjoy His presence today.
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