PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Thursday

Scripture lesson: 1 Kings 21:1-10 Ahab and Jezebel

Time to Reflect: Power goes to people's heads and because they wield power others are afraid to stand up to them or they find it to their advantage to go along. All to often those who oppose the powerful are powerful themselves and with their own personal agenda. Who will defend the powerless? That is a part of the mandate for the Church and all Christians.

Moving Through the Day: Pray for courage and strength for those who need to stand up against an overreaching power.

Scripture:  

Naboth's Vineyard

 1 Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 Ahab said to Naboth, "Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth."

 3 But Naboth replied, "The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."

 4 So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.

 5 His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, "Why are you so sullen? Why won't you eat?"

 6 He answered her, "Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, 'Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.' But he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.' "

 7 Jezebel his wife said, "Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth's city with him. 9 In those letters she wrote:
       "Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 10 But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death."