February 14
Abijah
“Because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel.” —1 Kings 14:13
Read 1 Kings 14:1-13
The Bible does not tell us how old Abijah was when he became ill. Verse 17 mentions that he was a child, but this could mean that he was anywhere from 5 to 15 years old. What really matters is that the Lord knew him. The Lord had planted “some good thing” in his heart and life. If this had depended upon the upbringing he received from his parents, his church affiliation, or his friends, then no good could have been expected from him.
His father, Jeroboam, had introduced the idol worship of calves, which was an abomination unto the Lord. And so Abijah had been surrounded with falsehood and idolatry from his infancy to his death. His mother sent a message to Ahijah, an old prophet of God, with hope he might have a cure for her deathly ill son. She had sent along presents to influence him, but Ahijah’s Sender had already informed him about the situation. The Lord also kept his servant from speaking unadvisedly when He gave him the message for Ahijah’s mother.
The message was not favourable, for the young boy was going to die. However, he would receive a proper funeral – a sharp contrast to the other descendants of Jeroboam. All of Israel would attend his funeral. Was this honour because he was better than his father? No. The reason was because the Lord had found “some good thing” in him.
What “good thing” is the Lord willing to give to us?
This devotional was taken from “The Time of Your Life” a daily devotional published by the Youth & Educational Committee of the FRC. To order a printed copy of this book, contact: bookorders@frcna.org.