Category: Devotion of the Day

I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.
John 14:2

Here is a blessed little word often overlooked: “If it were not so, I would have told you.” Jesus not only affirms positively the glorious fact of our heavenly home, He makes it doubly sure by a negative: “If it were not so, I would have told you.”

Countless multitudes have wondered whether there is a home beyond. Here is One who came from there and knows. We can take His word for it. He affirms it. And, furthermore, He assures us that if there were no such place He would have told us. He would not leave us in the dark. If death ends all He would have said so. But He died and returned to prove that the best is yet to come. And why do we wonder and hope, when we can know about our future dwelling-place? He would have let us know if there were no such abode. And He did let us know that there is!

I am not left merely to guess about it and hope for the best. I have a double guarantee: “There are many mansions: if there were not, I would have told you.”

CAMPAIGN AGAINST RAMOTH-GILEAD

Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord?
II Chronicles 19:2

Jehoshaphat was a good man, but he allowed himself to be persuaded by Ahab to join him in an expedition against Ramoth-gilead. They called in the prophets after the decision already had been made in order to get their blessing, just as we often make our plans and then ask God to bless them instead of asking God for a plan. All the sycophant prophets concurred, except Micaiah, who told them the truth and was put in prison and fed the bread and water of affliction. The expedition resulted in Ahab’s death. Then Jehu reproved Jehoshaphat with the words of our text.

God never wants His people to team up with the ungodly in their ventures. We have a different program and there is no concord between Christ and Belial. Ahab is always going up against some Ramoth-gilead, and all it takes, as in this case, is a big supper to line up unwise Jehoshaphats. Better a Micaiah on bread and water than a Jehoshaphat at a banquet, when a Ramoth-gilead campaign is brewing.