2 Chronicles 24:17-22 (NRSV)
Read 2 Chronicles 24:17-22 on biblegateway.com
Verse 17Now after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and did obeisance to the king; then the king listened to them. Verse 18They abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and served the sacred poles and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. Verse 19Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord; they testified against them, but they would not listen. Verse 20Then the spirit of God took possession of Zechariah son of the priest Jehoiada; he stood above the people and said to them, "Thus says God: Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has also forsaken you." Verse 21But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the Lord. Verse 22King Joash did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. As he was dying, he said, "May the Lord see and avenge!"
Devotion
I was an avid fan of the TV series "The West Wing" back in the day. I remember one episode in particular when the then-new President was facing his first military challenge. The problem for him was that a close personal friend of his was on board the aircraft that had been shot down. The President was so angry and hurt that he wanted to strike back "with the thunder of God himself."
When I came to Zechariah's words, "May the Lord see and avenge!" in 2 Chronicles 24:22 today, I was reminded of this episode from "The West Wing". It doesn't take much imagination to understand this visceral response. But what really captures my attention is how differently God responds. God "sends prophets among them," not to avenge, destroy or reject, but in order "to bring them back." Now that is amazing grace, beyond imagination.
Prayer
God of power and might; grant that we may grow more deeply into the greatest power you have ever unleashed upon this world, your love, through the child Jesus, who comes to reconcile each and all of us to one another and to you. Amen.