Thursday, April 5, 2012

Jezebel

We all know the story of Jezebel, she is infamous for being the most evil woman in the Bible. I have never felt like I have anything in common with her, until yesterday. I have been reading through The Story by Randy Frazee, it is the Bible written like a novel would be. There are no embellishments or imagined addition. It is scripture with a few sections paraphrased to condense it. I was reading through the chapter on Elijah and his confrontations with King Ahab, Queen Jezebel and the priest of Baal. In description of Jezebel Randy wrote this, " Jezebel was not one to count her losses. When Ahab's own will to fight was exhausted, he could count on Jezebel to keep charging. Her will to win overcame any doubts she might have had about the failure at Mount Carmel."


This was unnerving for me! I have never through of Jezebel as someone I could relate to, until I read that statement. Not only do I know how competitive I am (will to win), but I also know how determind I can be to have my own way. Both theses personality traits of mine can push me past reason, the truth of the Word, and even at times, my own conscience. If I'm shamefully honest, I know that it can cause me to lie and be manipulative. Once I have made my mind up, I spend my time mulling over how to get what I want. I confess too, that the more my plan gets thwarted the more sullen and angry I become. It is childish really.


There are only two things that make me different from Jezebel. First off, I am not a queen, so I don't wheeled the power or the wealth she did. These things removed many limitations, allowing her to push further and further into her own self-absorbed will. She had pently of oppertunity to feed her ego, so it grew. The second and by far the most important, God has chosen me to be his; he saved me and is sanctifying me. He is slowly purging me of my selfish desires. If this wasn't the case I would be as sinful as Jezebel, stopping at nothing to get my way.


You might think detemination has two sides, bad and good. Couldn't all that effort be put to good use if channelled for furthering the kingdom of God? Well yes and no. This deep rooted stubbornness and "will to win" as a Christian, even if applied to godly desires, tends to flesh itself out in self-sufficiency. I am the queen of self-suffiancy. I spend so much time seeking my own glory, I constantly need reminding that there is nothing good in me, on my own. Nothing! Not even determination, "will to win" or white knuckle self control, things our world would admire. The only good in me comes from God, by his grace. This world applauds a fierce, confident, independent, motivated woman; I don't and neither does He. There can only be good in me if my heavenly Father put it there.

If you are like me, there is a little diva inside of you that is screaming at me right now. "No, that's not true! She is wrong! You're good, you're strong, you can do great things!" If you listen to her, she is concerned with one thing, you. That little diva is the little Jezebel I'm talking about. She needs to be put death. You can argue and reason with her, but she is set on one thing, her own glory. She is evil, silence her! Just how God did through Elijah, push her out of the window of her palace to her death, to be eaten by dogs.


"but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Romans 8:13


Instead, look to Jesus the founder and perfecter of your faith, Heb 12:2.

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