“In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maachah the granddaughter of Abishalom. 3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. 4 Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him and by establishing Jerusalem; 5 because David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.”
1 Kings 15:1-7 NKJV
God of eternity,
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Paul tells the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 3:17). And another 3:17 this time from James’s letter says, “Wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
There was war between Jeroboam and Rehoboam throughout their reign. Abijam walked in the sins of his father and it continued. You were still with them but unable to grant Your peace as they did not look to You for wisdom, peace or reconciliation. They just saw threat, vulnerability and the jealous desire for power.
Father we cannot always make peace. Sometimes there is no coming back from hurt or damage. But we can forgive and give over the judgement to You. We can receive Your peace. We may never trust again but we don’t have to eternally dwell on the situation. With Your wisdom we can see when we have offended and humble and apologise. Constantly living in peace where possible because You are in our midst. Refusing to continue a war by loving our enemies (Matthew 5:44). And above all we remember our sin it is cast in the deepest sea . . .(Micah 7:19) because of Jesus. Making sure we have no jealousy or desire for power.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Saturday 23rd May 2026
Oh His mercy is more . . .
Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What love could remember no wrongs we have done
Omniscient, all knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father, so tender, is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Repeat chorus
What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment, His life was the cost
We stood ‘neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Chorus
Repeat chorus . . .
Our sins they are many, His mercy is mоre
Lyrics: Matt Boswell, Matt Papa